BonesParkerBooth Love
by JulesSC
Summary: Brennan and Booth finally get together, but not w/o the help of Parker. Their relationship progress, they come to terms with their love for one another. Their smooth sailing is interrupted with jealousy, old flames & their jobs but it's all BB & Parker.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **__Rest assured I'm still working on A New Beginning and Falling Out, but my O levels are over and I'm over-indulging in my Muse right now. She's far from being exhausted, and I'm making the most of it._

_This takes place in season 3, a few weeks after Wannabe in the Weeds and before Pain in the Heart. You know why I don't want that-Zach! We love him! I really hope he comes back more, and soon. Don't you just love the fact that he's innocent?_

_**Disclaimer:**__ If it were mine, Cam would never have happened (though I think now she's just Booth's friend, and warming up to the idea of BB-see her reaction to Booth calling Bones 'special' in Season 4. But still, Cam = bad), and Zach would still be around, and Sully would never be in the picture. Oh, and yeah, BB would have happened a looonnnngggg time ago. So, no, it doesn't belong to me. Just pure fan fiction pleasure._

_**Couple Pairings:**__ BoothxBrennan, HodginsxAngela_

_**Rating:**__ T for now, M for later chapters._

_So here it goes. Hope it's not too bad._

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**Chapter 1-The Breakfast**

Brennan sighed as she looked through the case file in her hands. It was Sunday, nine in the morning, and she was being stressed out over their current case.

Booth was with Parker, so Brennan hadn't wanted to call him to interrupt his time with his son.

Of course, there wasn't much she could have told him just yet. The anomalies would have to be examined further in the lab. They were useless here in the confines of her home. She was useless here.

Brennan sighed again and looked at the clock. Nine-oh-one. Had she really expected time to jump twenty four hours in the past minute? Yes. Irrational as it was.

Angela had taken the liberty of ensuring that Brennan wouldn't go into the lab on Sundays by every means possible. From phone calls to impromptu girl time, Angela would do it, especially since Hodgins was with Zach for the weekend, visiting Zach's family. Brennan was expecting Angela to show up at her doorstep, actually.

This was what was keeping her from grabbing her coat and heading straight to the lab. She sighed, dropping her head in her hands as she sat at the kitchen counter. What exactly was she supposed to do for the entire day? She was having a writer's block, effectively ending any thoughts on Kathy and Andy for the time being. She couldn't focus on the case file any longer or she would go insane. And she had finished everything she was supposed to be doing today yesterday.

Her stomach grumbled and Brennan perked. Maybe she should go out, get breakfast, drive around for a bit. What was the point in being bored and cooped up?

She reached for her coat and went out the door. She could go to the Royal.

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As soon as she parked and went inside, she heard, "Bones!"

Brennan's eyes searched the place until she found Booth and Parker sitting at their normal booth. Brennan smiled when Booth gestured for her to come over. "Sit with us, Bones," Booth grinned at her. Although she could feel herself melting-a figure of a speech, Angela had once told her-she fought it back. This was Booth she's talking about. There's nothing but a platonic affection for one partner to another.

"Booth, I really don't want to interrupt your time with Parker…" she smiled at the blonde-haired boy.

Parker grinned at her as well, the smile a match with his father's. Brennan almost rolled her eyes. It seems that Booth's charm smile was hereditary. "It's okay, Dr. Bones," he exclaimed. "Come sit with us!"

Dr. Bones? It seems the boy has his father's like for using nicknames, as well. "Are you sure?" Brennan looked from one Booth to another. Parker nodded his head enthusiastically, his curls bouncing on his head. Brennan chuckled and slid into the booth, sitting opposite Booth and Parker. The waitress came over and Brennan ordered coffee and omelet.

"What happened to good ol' American breakfast?" Booth teased. "You know, pancakes, waffles, bacon…?"

Brennan rolled her eyes at him. "They make you fat and cause heart problems as you get older. You know, a man your age really needs to take care of your health, Booth," she sipped her coffee.

Booth's teasing smile slipped from his face and he scowled at her. "I'm thirty five, Bones!" he exclaimed.

Parker giggled as he watched his daddy and his partner quarrel. Booth glanced at him and smiled. "You find that funny, huh, bub?" Parker nodded his head, still grinning widely. Booth leaned forward, and tickled Parker's sides. Parker squealed and squirmed in Booth's arms. "Daddy!" he gasped, laughing. "Dr. Bones! Help!" he giggled.

Brennan chuckled, shaking her head at the duo. The waitress came over again and set her breakfast on the table. Parker frowned at her plate. "Is that all you're eating, Dr. Bones? Because daddy says that you have to eat pancakes and bacon to be strong," he recited.

Brennan glared half-heartedly at Booth, who flashed her his charm smile. "Omelets make you strong _and_ healthy," Brennan declared, digging into the eggs.

"Don't corrupt him," Booth mock glared at her, pointing his index finger at her. Brennan rolled her eyes as she chewed. "So what made you come here for breakfast?"

"Didn't know I couldn't." He only smiled, so she sighed, putting down her knife and fork. "I got bored. I can't go to the lab because Angela would get all mad. I've got writer's block so I can't work on my novel. I'm was flown over the wall at home."

Booth snorted. "Driven up the wall, you mean?" Brennan shrugged.

Parker slid under the table and a moment later, his little body popped up next to Brennan. She gazed at him, surprised. His eyes were dancing with excitement. "Then come with us, Dr. Bones!" he cried, reaching over to tug at her hand. "We're going to the park. You can come play with daddy and me."

Brennan shifted uncomfortably. It sounded like a family event. She wasn't fond of that. The last memories she had of ever being surrounded by family in a park were right before her parents disappeared, right before winter, and Christmas.

Booth saw her struggle and came quickly to her rescue. "Uh, bub, I don't think Bones would want to come…" he said, trailing off at the hurt look in his son's eyes.

Parker looked from Booth to Brennan and back again, confused. "Why not? Daddy and I always have fun when we go to the park. If you're bored, then you should come, Dr. Bones. We'll play a game!" his face lit up entirely as he spoke.

Brennan tried not to smile back at him, but it was hard to do that. He was wearing Booth's charm smile, and she could never resist whenever that happened. "Well…I wouldn't want to interrupt your time with your daddy," she said, peeking at Booth as she said this.

Booth smiled at her and shook his head. "You can never do that, Bones. Come on, it'll be fun," he said, trying to persuade her, as well. He flashed her his infamous charm smile as well.

Brennan groaned internally. Why on earth would he do something like that? He knows that whenever he smiles, he could get any woman on earth to do his bidding. Did he think it wouldn't work on her? Apparently so, as his smile broadened when he realized her will crumbling right before his eyes.

"Alright…I'll come along," she said, her voice wavering slightly in uncertainty.

Parker clapped his hands together. "Dr. Bones is coming!" he said giddily to his father. He reached across the table and slapped Booth's palm, giving him a high five.

The three of them finished their breakfast together, chatting about everyday things. Parker was their catalyst. He talked about everything in his life, giving her avid descriptions of his week in school. He was particularly interested in what they were studying in science recently. Booth groaned when it came up.

"Really, Parker? What about?" Brennan shot Booth an evil smirk, to which he glared at.

"Dinosaurs!" Parker exclaimed excitedly, throwing his hands in the air. "We're learning about the fosis of the dinosaurs. We get to learn their bones! And how big they are!" To emphasize his point, he spread his arms out in front of him to prove his point.

"Great," Booth grumbled. "My son, the future generation of the squint squad."

Brennan chuckled, shaking her head at him. "You should be so lucky, Booth. What's wrong with him being intelligent?"

Booth couldn't help it-he grinned. The thought of Parker being the next squint was, he had to admit, nightmarish. It took all he had not to shudder at the thought. But Bones had practically praised his son, something he would never thought could happen. And, sure, he'd want Parker to be smart. There was nothing wrong with that. Absolutely nothing.

"Daddy, let's go to the park," Parker whined from across the table. He had still not moved from his position beside Brennan. He was practically sitting in her lap at the moment. Brennan hardly noticed this, nor was she uncomfortable with it. Parker was a different kind of a child. He understood, had empathy, and his intelligence was outstanding. She didn't spend a lot of time with children, but if she had to, she'd wager that Parker was smarter than an average five year old.

Booth looked at the table-all three plates were polished. He grabbed his wallet, and paid for all three of them. Brennan looked at the money, shocked. "Booth, I am perfectly capable of paying for my own breakfast," she said, glaring at him slightly.

Booth chuckled. Same ol' Bones. "I know, Bones. How 'bout you pay the next time we eat together?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Brennan considered his compromise then smiled. "Deal."

"Daaaaddddyyyyy. Dr. Boooonnnneeessss. Let's goooooo," Parker whined, glaring at the two of them the way only a five year old child could.

They laughed, and slid out of their seats. As soon as they were out of the diner, Parker latched on to Brennan's hand. Both Booth and Brennan looked down at him, surprised, but he was oblivious. "We've got to take daddy's car to go to the park," he informed Brennan matter-of-factly.

Brennan regained her composure and smiled down at him. "Alright, let's go then," she looked up at Booth, who was still a little shocked by his son's display of affection, and smiled tentatively. Slowly, he smiled back. There it was, Booth's charm smile again.

She allowed Parker to lead her to where Booth's black FBI-warranted SUV was parked, and slid into the passenger's seat while Booth buckled Parker in the child's seat in the back. He came around to the front when he was done and slipped into the driver's seat. "Ready, Bones?" he asked, his voice light and teasing.

She nodded, and he started the engine. As he was driving away from the diner, she scrunched up her face and asked, "Booth? Are you ever going to let me drive?"

_Okay, what do you think? It's only my third fan fiction…And a completely new territory for me. I hope it sounds good, but if it's boring, don't hesitate to tell me. Through reviews. And if it's good, don't hesitate to tell me as well. Next chapter coming right up._


	2. The Park

Last chapter wasn't really in anyone's POV, and I found that a little harder to write. Mainly because right now I'm in the mood to do POVs. Couldn't hurt, right? So this chapter is in Booth's POV, because I'm just curious what he'd think of seeing his precious Bones interact with his precious son. I'm sure we all are. So here it is. Chapter 2.

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_**Chapter 2-The Park**_

Brennan laughed as Parker collided with her legs, sending them both tumbling backwards. He giggled, crawling across the grass so he could lie down next to her, his head right next to hers. They were both a little out of breath, him more than her. "Are you having fun yet, Dr. Bones?" he asked her, turning his head to look at her hopefully.

Brennan smiled, nodding her head. "Yes, thank you, Parker. For inviting me," she added, as if thanking him wasn't enough.

I chuckled quietly to myself as I watched their exchange. I'd been worried about Bones not wanting to spend time with Parker. She has issues with family, and Parker and I are a family. Of course, Bones is my family, too.

I halted. Where had that come from? I shook my head, trying to clear it. Better not mention this to Bones, she'll kill me for sure.

Another reason I knew Bones was hesitant to come along with us was because of her reluctance to have children. Looking back at the past couple of hours, I find this ridiculous. Bones was perfectly at ease with Parker, and he adores her. I could just imagine her being a mother. She would be all scientific and smart and sexy…_Whoa, seriously. Where had _that_ come from!?_

Fighting away the panic building up in me, I jogged closer to them. "Are you two alright or do I need to call an ambulance over here?" I teased.

Bones scowled at me. "I'm taking a break, Booth. I didn't realize your idea of fun included sweating like a cow."

I chuckled again, shaking my head at her. "It's pig, Bones, sweating like a pig."

Parker was laughing now, clutching his sides as he gave in to hysteria. "I can't believe you didn't know that, Dr. Bones," he gasped.

Bones had gone a ripe shade of red. "Yes, well," she mumbled, embarrassed.

Parker stopped laughing, even though he was still smiling widely. "It's okay. I mess things up, too, sometimes," he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Bones stared at him as he jumped to his feet and ran away, trying to locate the rugby ball they'd thrown a few minutes ago. When she still didn't say a thing after Parker had ran twenty feet from them, I started to get uneasy. What was she thinking now? Would she run?

I bit my lip. And what exactly would she be running _from_?

"Bones?" I asked, my voice soft. Even then, she jumped out of her skin.

"Sorry, I was just thinking…" She trailed off, leaving me to ponder yet again.

"Care to share?" I asked, lifting my lips up in a half-smile. It wasn't my best moment, but she seemed to fall for it anyway.

Bones sighed. "About Parker, actually," she bit her lip, refusing to look me in the eyes. I tried to get her attention, and finally won out. "I just…He's a very sweet boy, Booth. I hope he gets to retain his innocence for as long as possible."

I knew where this was headed. It was the same reason she didn't want to have any children. The fact that this world was a dark place. She's seen it, almost as much as I have. I had the Rangers, and she had those dark times in El Salvador, and in New Orleans, and in God knows where else. And now we have the FBI. She knows the danger out there, and it kills her enough that someone else has to go through it, that someone else's kid has to go through it. What would happen if it were her own? I couldn't even bring myself to think of Parker getting hurt.

I sat down next to her and laid on my back, stretching. After a few silent moments, I reached over and covered her hand in mine. She looked up at me and smiled. "Thanks, Bones," I said genuinely. "I hope that, too."

"Daddy!" I heard Parker squeal and we both shot up into sitting positions. Parker had the rugby in his hands and he was jogging closer to us. "Catch, daddy!" he threw the rugby straight at me. I caught it as it thudded lightly against my chest.

"Can we continue playing?" Parker reached us.

"Sorry, bud. Time to head home, and wash up, 'kay?" I told him. It was near lunch time. We had spent the whole morning in the park. With Bones. I shot a glance at her and felt a grin tugging at my lips. She was staring at Parker with adoration in her eyes.

Parker jumped into her lap and curled his tiny arms around her neck. "Will you be coming home with us, Dr. Bones?" he asked, looking at her with his big, brown eyes. I resisted the urge to chuckle. My mother had said that my 'charm smile', as Bones puts it, was hereditary. Now I see why.

Bones was literally torn between saying no, and not turning down my son with the puppy dog eyes and charm smile. I decided to step in. "Come on, bub. I'm sure Bones would like a chance to go home and rest. You wore her out," I couldn't help chuckling this time.

Bones glared at me in return, and Parker only gave me a confused look. "But we have a bathroom at your house, daddy," he told me in a matter-of-fact voice. "Come on, Dr. Bones. Don't you want to have lunch with my daddy and me?" he turned back to her. I could see him jutting out his bottom lip and giving her a sad look.

Maybe I shouldn't have taught him that. Bones looked frustrated, then she sighed. "Alright. I guess I could, if your dad doesn't mind," they both looked at me.

I grinned at them both. "Why would I mind? I've got my boy, and my Bones. I'm never better."

When we reached the car, Bones leaned forward and whispered. "Don't call me Bones."

I smiled as I strapped Parker in the child seat. Some things never change.

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Parker had fallen asleep five minutes into the ride home. It had been a tiring day, but I knew he would be awake the moment I pulled in front of my apartment. I glanced at Bones out of the corner of my eye. She had been quiet ever since she'd stepped into my car. No, ever since this morning, I amended.

She had interacted with Parker, and had been even more outgoing with him. But with me, she hadn't really said much. Why was that?

"Bones, you've been really quiet for a while," I told her, my eyes firmly on the road. I didn't need another lecture on road safety from her right now.

She sighed and rested her head on the headrest. "I know, Booth. I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind lately." Then she smiled, and turned so she was looking at me. "I'm actually surprised you haven't done your mind reading thing and figured it all out before I even say a word."

I snorted, then peeked in the rearview mirror to make sure that Parker hadn't been woken up by that. He was still sleeping soundly, and my bark of laughter had done nothing but make him shift slightly. "Mind reading thing, Bones?" I shot her an amused look.

Bones just shrugged. "Well, it's what you do, Booth!" she said, defensive. "You get into people's heads, and you figure things out about them, even when they're trying their best to hide." After a moment, she added softly, "It's what makes you good at your job."

I flashed her a smile. "Thanks, Bones."

She flushed, and I realized that she hadn't meant for me to hear it. I turned to my corner of the street, and she looked at me. Although she fought to look nonchalant, I could see the panic in her eyes. "Maybe I should just head home, Booth…"

I shook my head at her. "You don't have your car with you. It's a long walk home," I teased. She scowled at me. Before she could say anything about calling a cab, I added, "Besides, Parker would be upset if you went home without having lunch with us."

Bones rolled her eyes at the charm smile on my face. "You're using your son as leverage, Booth. Hardly fair," she grumbled, folding her arms across her chest.

I grinned, and gently patted her knee. "I'm taking that as a 'yes, Seeley, I'm staying'," I told her triumphantly. This only earned me another glare.

I saw my apartment building, and pulled into the parking lot. I was right. By the time I killed the engine, Parker was rubbing his eyes and glancing around blearily.

"Are we home, daddy?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah, bub," I replied, turning around in my seat to look at him. "You up?"

He nodded his head, his curls bouncing up and down again. I grinned at him. Then he saw Bones and immediately, he brightened up. "Does this mean you're staying for lunch?" he asked her bluntly.

"I suppose it does," she replied, her voice slightly in wonder.

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I had insisted that Bones went up to shower first. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, and make her wait while Parker and I showered. She's my guest, she had rights. I turned on the TV, and sat Parker on the couch. "Wait here while I show Bones the bathroom, okay, bub?" Parker only nodded, and I doubted he really registered my words-he was too busy watching Spongebob Squarepants.

I turned around and motioned for Bones to follow me. I was a little unnerved. Bones had never gone this far into my apartment before. One discreet look at her nervous expression told me that she felt the same.

Whenever we hung out, it was always at Wong Foo's, or at the diner, or at her place or sometimes even in her office or in mine whenever we're finishing up on paperwork. She'd been to my place a few times, and while she'd barged into my bathroom once, I don't think that counts.

Not when I'm trying very hard to forget that particular phase of our partnership. I knew she was hurt deeply by what happened, and it hurt me to know that, to see her in pain.

I should have done a better job making sure she received knowledge of my undercover mission.

And damn Sweets, for keeping this from her purposely. I never did find out what happened, or why he did that. He said he wanted to see her reaction, but what was the prize? Bones giving me her right hook? Maybe Sweets just wanted to pay me back for all the times I'd mocked him…That didn't seem likely, though.

We reached the end of the hall, where my bathroom is. I turned around to look at Bones. She was looking everywhere but at me. "Hey, Bones?" She looked up at me, and I could see the confusion in her eyes. "It's alright, you know, Parker and I really want you here."

She smiled slightly, then she shifted her feet uncomfortably. "Um, Booth? I…Don't have anything to change into," she mumbled, heat rising to her cheeks.

I would have teased her about it, except my face had turned completely red, too. "Oh." We were both silent for a moment. "Well…You could borrow some things of mine, if you'd like?" I offered.

She smiled sheepishly at me, and nodded her head. "Thanks, Booth."

I jogged over to my bedroom, ignoring the bed in the center of it. I can't think of my bed, not with Bones just a few feet from me, waiting by the bathroom door. Not with her going in there to shower in a few moments. Not with her coming out later wearing _my _clothes.

I pulled out a pair of jeans and my AC/DC shirt. We were going out later, Parker and I, and maybe she would come with us then, too.

I shook my head. No need to build up my hopes when Bones would refuse later anyway. She wasn't used to children, and being around Parker for the past five hours would have taken its toll on her.

I jogged back to the bathroom, where she was still waiting and handed her the clothes. She smiled her gratitude at me, and slipped inside the bathroom. I was still watching the door when the lock clicked. Then I went back to the living room, where Parker was seated. He was watching Scooby-Doo now. I sat next to him, and he looked up at me.

"Did Dr. Bones find the bathroom, daddy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded my head, biting my lip. What I was about to do was completely unethical. And unfair. But I couldn't help myself.

"Hey, Parks. You still want to go to the aquarium after lunch?" I asked him.

He tore his gaze from the TV and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Of course!" he squealed.

I leaned closer conspiratorially, as if wanting to share a secret with him. Parker leaned in too, excited. "Do you want Dr. Bones to come with us?" His eyes lit up, and he nodded again.

"Then here's what we're going to do…"


	3. The Aquarium

_**A/N: **I'm excited! Who else is excited!? I've been in a funk because I couldn't write due to finals. And now that that's out of the way, I'm FREE, baby! Sorry, too much Hodgins. Been having a Bones marathon. Can't have enough of BB, it seems._

_**Disclaimer:** Seriously, you know the answer to that, no need to rub it in my face every time…It's a big fat NO, okay!? Geez…_

_**Rating:** T_

_**POV:** T. Brennan_

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After Booth had given me the clothes, I had stepped into the shower awkwardly, and locked the door behind me. I placed the clothes beside the sink, on the counter, and turned on the tap. I stuck my hand under the faucet and washed my hands. Cupping my hands, I brought some water to my face and washed it. Splashing water on my face calmed me down. A little.

What was wrong with me? This was just Booth we were talking about. Booth, who was my partner. Nothing more.

Yet I had spent my entire day so far with him and his son. Of all things! While I had to admit that Parker was an incredible, smart and adorable boy, I was not good with children. I was probably boring him to death. And this was Booth's time with him. From what I've heard, Rebecca doesn't exactly give him a lot of time with Parker. I shouldn't be intruding like this.

After lunch, I should get going and not take up more of his time. Booth lives for weekends with Parker. I didn't want to take that away from him.

I turned off the faucet and peeled off my sweaty clothes, grimacing. I didn't even have a bag to put these in. I glanced around, and settled for the floor beside the door. I'd take them later and ask if Booth has an extra bag somewhere.

I stepped into the shower, almost sighing in relief as the hot water pounded my back. I wanted to take my time, but it wouldn't be good if I were to use all of the hot water and leave Booth and Parker to use the cold water. I scrubbed at my skin quickly, ridding myself of the sweat and grime from our rugby match in the park.

Without thinking, I reached for a bottle of shampoo. Then I blushed. This was Booth's shampoo. Could I even use it? Well, I had to. It's a shower. In Booth's bathroom. Shaking off the awkwardness off, I squirted some of the liquid onto my palm and rubbed it into my scalp.

Being here, in Booth's apartment, in his shower, using his things, it was beyond odd. I couldn't understand the feelings I was having. It was natural, of course. Spending this much time with a man, especially a man I'm so acquainted with. Sometimes it felt like Booth knew me better than everyone in the world combined. And I knew Booth. More or less. He's still a mystery to me sometimes, but I could figure him out, see the side of him he kept from everyone. And I liked that he trust me enough with that.

I had spent my day with him, and his son, so it was natural for me to feel this way. Tingly. Excited. Anticipating what might happen next.

But this was Booth. My partner. My friend. Nothing more.

Shaking off this feeling I knew would fade the moment I stepped out into the living room, I turned off the shower, and grabbed a towel. I grabbed the jeans, slipping them on, then took the T-Shirt. I raised an eyebrow at the words printed on the front of it. AC/DC. What was that? Some sort of asinine TV show, or an acronym for a phrase I've never heard of before? Shaking my head at Booth and his ways, I slipped it on as well. Running the towel through my hair, drying it, I looked around the counter for a comb. I found one in the medicine cabinet above the sink and ran it through my hair.

Throwing the towel in the laundry basket by the sink, I turned the door handle and walked out, completely forgetting about my clothes.

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When I walked into the living room, Parker was still watching the TV. He saw me walking in and waved at me before turning back to the screen. I shook my head. Was it healthy for him to watch so much TV? I should talk to Booth about that. He could ruin his eyesight and his mind.

"Parker, where's your dad?"

"Kitchen!" he replied without taking his eyes from the strange walking turtles.

I walked towards the kitchen, and saw Booth pouring a glass of juice. He smiled at me and placed the bottle of juice on the island. "Looks good on you," he nodded at the shirt.

Ignoring the heat creeping on my face, I raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "What's AC/DC?"

Booth choked on his juice and gave me a stare that was halfway between a glare and a look of amusement. "Tell me you're kidding."

I shot him a confused look. "Why would I do that?"

Booth shook his head, and placed the glass of juice down. "Parker and I are going to take a bath. You okay to entertain yourself here?"

I picked at the fabric of Booth's shirt. "Yeah, about that, Booth…Are you sure you don't mind me intruding your time with Parker?" I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

Without my realizing it, Booth had walked over to me. I felt his finger under my chin, tugging at me to look up at him. I did, and was caught in the intensity of his gaze. "I'm sure, Temperance," he said, his voice low. I gasped at the use of my first name.

I gave him a small smile. "You called me Temperance," I told him matter-of-factly. He hadn't done that very often.

He smiled back at me, and I closed my eyes when he leaned forward. He pressed his lips to my forehead, and I bit my lip. I gripped at the material of his shirt. "I'll be right back, okay?"

I could only nod mutely. I watched him walk out of the kitchen, and then collapse into a chair. What had just happen? I could still feel his lips against my skin, the heat between our bodies, hear his voice right next to me.

I had been sure that the feelings I had were purely because of what happened this morning, because of our time spent together. With Parker, Booth and I bonded differently than we normally do. We weren't just partners and friends. We were Seeley and Temperance. It was almost a family-like scenario. Of course I'd have certain feelings rising to the surface. It was only natural for that to happen, and it would have for anyone.

So why was I still feeling like this? Why was Seeley Booth imprinted in my mind like this? Why can't I think of anything but him? Why can't I wait to see him again? Why does his voice coming from the bathroom, accompanying Parker's squeals, make my heart beat faster?

What had just happen?

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When Parker came out of the bathroom, he was alone, and wearing a different set of clothes. I assume he has some in Booth's apartment. I had taken residence in front of the TV, watching a cartoon about a genius boy who conducted science experiments.

"Jimmy Neutron!" Parker squealed, jumping into my lap and curling into me.

I was shocked at his behavior. Parker and I had met several times over the course of Booth's and my partnership, but I hadn't thought that we'd bonded all that much. He was sweet, very much like his father. My fondest memory of him was when he'd brought me that Christmas tree for my dad, my brother and me. He'd told me 'Merry Christmas, Bones', and I'd never been happier during Christmastime after my parents had disappeared on me.

Still, for him to be so attached to me…I shook my head, trying to clear it. _Relax, Tempe. He's probably just excited from today's events, and is just interested in watching the cartoon. Nothing to be overly anxious about._

Booth came out a few moments later, clad in jeans and a T-Shirt that read 'The Simpsons'. My eyebrows arched together. Who were the Simpsons?

"Hey, bub. You ready to go for lunch?" he asked Parker.

Parker turned his doe eyes to his father. "Aw, daddy. Can't we watch Jimmy Neutron until it's done?"

Booth raised his eyebrow, grinning at me. I shrugged. "The show is very interesting. A boy genius who's very good at science…I find it refreshing," I told him truthfully.

"Of course you do," Booth snorted, sitting next to me.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Boy genius," he waved at the screen. "Girl genius," he waved at me. "I'm just saying that it's not a surprise you connect with it."

I glared and slapped him on the shoulder. "I do not connect with a cartoon character, Booth!"

He chuckled, shrugging. "Whatever you say, Bones…"

I huffed, turning back to face the screen. When the credits finally rolled, Parker reached over, grabbing the remote and turning off the TV.

"Okay, daddy. We can go eat lunch now."

Booth smiled, and stood up. "Come on, Bones. We're going to Wong Foo's."

Wong Foo's. God, I had missed this place. We hadn't gone here since we'd wrapped up our last case together, about two weeks ago. I missed Sid, and his food, and his knack for knowing exactly what you need.

Booth drove again, which I argued about the whole way to Wong Foo's. Parker watched this with amusement, breaking out in giggles every few minutes, but Booth was mostly annoyed at me. I caught him smiling a few times, but I attribute this to Parker's reaction to our banter.

When we finally pulled up in front of Wong Foo's, Booth grunted out a "Oh, thank _God_!" Before I could say anything, he waved a finger at me. "No, Bones, don't even start _that _argument now."

Booth got out of the car and unbuckled Parker from his child seat. Parker hopped down with his help, while I waited patiently beside the car. What happened next surprised us both. Parker rushed forward, colliding with my legs. "Oomph, sorry, Dr. Bones," he said sheepishly, though he looked anything but. A glint in his eyes, he reached up and took my hand, swinging out entwined fingers slightly.

I turned my shocked gaze to Booth, who was smiling slightly. Catching my eye, he shrugged. "Okay," Booth clapped his hands together. "Let's go see what Sid has for us!"

Parker cheered and tugged at me, urging me forward. When we stepped into Wong Foo's, the aroma of Sid's food enveloped me. I smiled. Sid was the best cook I know.

When we finally stepped into Sid's view, he broke into a grin. "FBI man and squint!" he greeted us. Parker cleared his throat, but Sid pretended not to see him, which I completely don't understand. Booth shook his head slightly, telling me not to say anything, and I pursed my lips, pressing them together. "What? What is that sound?" Sid looked around him, pretending to look for the source of the sound. "I could have sworn I heard something, but I can only see Booth and Brennan…"

Parker giggled, stepped forward without letting go of my hand, and tugged at Sid's shirt. "What?" Sid looked down and pretended to be surprised. "Hey, little buddy!" He bent down and scooped Parker into his big arms. "Didn't see you there."

Parker laughed, and said, "That's because I'm little, Mr. Sid." Wriggling to get down, he rushed to grab my hand again.

"You finally told her, huh?" Sid nodded at me and Parker, raising his eyebrows at Booth.

Booth's smile slipped and he shook his head violently.

I glanced at Booth and Sid, my eyes watching them, darting from one to the other. "Tell me what?" I tipped my head to the side.

"I'll go get the food!" Sid scrambled away from us.

I scowled, glaring at Booth, hand at my hip. "Tell me what, Booth?" I demanded.

"Let's go get a seat, okay?" Booth's hand found its usual place at the small of my back, and he steered us both towards a booth. Parker slid in, seating in between Booth and I. I tried to gain his attention, but he kept striking conversations with Parker. Conversations that hardly made sense, but I suppose that's what you do with children, just like Sid playing that silly game a few moments ago.

Sid arrived with our food before darting back to the counter up front. "I'm going to find out, you know," I waved my chopsticks at Booth.

If I was right, and I usually am, Booth was blushing.

"Bones!" Parker yelled halfway through our meal. I choked a little on my noodles, and glanced at the tiny boy next to me. "I forgot to tell you…I got an A in school, for my essay!"

"You forgot to tell Bones?" Booth faked being hurt. "What about forgetting to tell your own daddy?"

Parker laughed, and said, "You too, daddy."

"What was your essay about, Parker?" I asked, interested. It was good for a boy Parker's age to start being interested in their schoolwork. I truly hoped that the attitude would continue when he'd older.

"About you and daddy, your job. I wrote about catching bad guys," he said, slurping the soup he was given.

"Really?" I caught Booth's eye, our surprised expressions mirroring one another.

Parker nodded his head. "My teacher said that it was very good, and made me read it to the whole class," he told us. "I wrote about how daddy putting mean people in jail, and you help him."

"Well, that sounds great, Parks. I hope you'll let me read it," Booth said, ruffling Parker's hair. If I had paid attention, I would have noticed the look Booth and Parker shared. Instead, all I was thinking about was the fact that Parker knew well enough of our working relationship to write an essay on it.

From the few times we've met before, and the explanations I'd given him, I concluded that he knows what I do. But to write an essay on how I help his father arrest the criminals and put them in the system?

Booth must have told him what I did. If only as an outlet to vent his frustrations. I admit that I sometimes cause him intentional stress by bringing up subjects I know he wouldn't be fond of. But after three years, you'd think he would be used to it by now.

"Dr. Bones," Parker poked my shoulder, drawing my attention back to him. "Do you want to come with us to the aquarium? We're going to see Nemo."

"Nemo?" I shot a confused glance in Booth's direction. He chuckled, and waved it away. I focused instead on Parker's request.

"Oh…Parker. I don't think I should. I've already spent half the day with you and your dad."

Parker's bottom lip started to quiver. I started to panic. "Don't you want to hang out with daddy and me?"

Despite myself, I find myself asking, "Hang out?" Then Parker got my attention again. "Of course I do. But…It's just…" I took a deep breath. "Parker, this is your special time with your dad. I can't intrude."

It was his turn to look confused. "Intwude?" he glanced from Booth to me than back to Booth.

"Come on, Bones. He loves you," he nodded at Parker. "Come to the aquarium with us," he pleaded. I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off. "We wouldn't have asked if we didn't want you there."

I sighed in defeat, shaking my head. How did I get roped into these things whenever Booths are around? "Okay…" I trailed off. Booth and Parker cheered, slapping palms. We resumed our lunch, then something occurred to me. "I still don't know what a Nemo is."

******************************************************************************

The aquarium gift shop was filled with fish-shaped objects. Parker had chosen a few items, from a dolphin shaped stuffed toy, to a children's book on the different fish and their names. I smiled as he approached Booth and I, arms laden with gifts. I could barely see him, just the top of his curly hair.

"Bub," Booth said in a warning tone.

"Daddy, these aren't all for me!" Parker squeaked. I could already see his arms shaking from the effort of carrying the merchandise so I squatted next to him and took the things into my arms instead. Parker flashed me a grateful smile.

"See? I got mommy a snow globe with the sea otters…" He pointed to the snow globe somewhere in the jumble of items. "And I got you the penguin mug, and I got Captain Fantastic-"

"Drew," Booth corrected immediately. I grinned. I knew he had to suffer the brunt of Rebecca's anger when Parker had started calling him 'Captain Fantastic' as well.

"-Drew the book on fish because he doesn't know any of them. And I got Dr. Bones the dolphin!"

I felt the blush creeping on my neck, my face, coloring my pale skin. "Oh, Parker, you didn't have to get me anything," I stuttered.

"Of course I did. You're Dr. Bones," he stated.

I frowned, failing to see how my nickname has anything to do with his wanting to get me a stuffed animal.

Booth took the things from me and set them on the cashier's counter. "Did you get anything for yourself?" he asked Parker.

Parker nodded. "I got a penguin toy!" he grinned, showing his tiny teeth gleaming in the fluorescent light of the gift shop.

Booth paid, and grabbed the bag of souvenirs. Parker took hold of my hand again. When we walked out of the aquarium, I noted that the sky was already darkening. We had been here hours.

"So where are we going for dinner, Dr. Bones?" Parker asked, looking up at me.

I glanced down at him in surprise. I really should stop feeling so shocked every time he asked me to do something with him and Booth. Hadn't he been asking nothing but that the entire day? I looked at Booth, who shrugged. "I could cook us something," Booth offered to his son.

Then I had an idea. "Well, how about if I cooked?" I asked, turning to look at Booth.

"You sure, Bones?" he asked me, smiling slightly.

"It's the least I could do, Booth, after you let me interrupt your day like this," I shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you like mac and cheese, Parker?"

The little boy stopped walking and started jumping up and down. The funny thing is, Booth looked like he would be doing the same thing if he could do so in a manly, FBI-agent kind of way.

"I love Mac and Cheese!" Parker cried. "Thank you, Dr. Bones!" He wrapped his tiny arms around my legs, and I laughed.

"Come on, let's go. I doubt your dad has the things it takes to make my mac and cheese," I teased.

Booth's smile disappeared, only to be replaced by a playful scowl. "Ha, very funny, Bones!" he pouted. This only made me laugh harder.

_Okay, not very steamy BB yet, but definitely next chapter. I'll post it up in a few hours, as well as new chapters for A New Beginning and Falling Out, so read and review, people. Still waiting…_


	4. Mac and Cheese and Love

_**A/N:** Mac and Cheese for everyone who reviewed!!! Thanks a lot. I know we're all stuck in Parker-land, and I hope that this story goes a little more BB somewhere along the line, but be content in knowing that it's Saturday in this story, and Booth has the weekend with Parker. Keep reading and keep reviewing. I swear, it's like I'm writer steroid._

_**Disclaimer:** Nope. Still don't own Bones._

_**Rating: **T. Parker's in the house, what are you crazy??_

_**POV: **T. Brennan, S. Booth_

________________________________________________________________________________

Booth drove us to the supermarket two streets away from his apartment. I'd spent the entire drive there trying to persuade him to go to this organic supermarket I know. It wasn't even all that far.

"Bones, you're going to feed two growing boys tonight. The least you could do is try not to shove as much nutrition down our throats as possible," he'd told me, as soon as she pulled up in the parking space.

Parker had looked at us, confused. "What's nutritition?" he asked, speaking slowly to enunciate the word.

Before I could answer, Booth turned around in his seat and made claws with his hands. "Something bad," he said in an ominous voice, reaching forward to tickle Parker, who promptly burst into squeals and giggled, squirming under Booth's tickles.

"Booth, don't influence him to adopt the nonsensical sense of lifestyle you seem to be so content with," I admonished him, and he only rolled his eyes at me.

"Mac and cheese, Bones, nothing nutritious about it. If there were, it wouldn't be mac and cheese," he reminded me.

I sighed, giving up, as I unbuckled my seat belt and waited for Booth and Parker. Parker took his usual, it seems, place next to me, taking my hand again.

We walked into the air conditioned place, and Booth got us a trolley. "Hey, buddy, you wanna sit in here?" Booth asked. Parker nodded enthusiastically.

"Isn't that dangerous?" I asked, eyeing the trolley skeptically as Booth lifted Parker and placed him in the trolley.

"Nah, Bones. He's six. Light. He'll be fine," Booth waved my concerns away, and I shrugged. Booth knew more about child rearing than I did, so it was safe to trust his judgment.

I began taking cheese and macaroni, trying to decide which kind of cheese Booth and Parker would like the best. By the time I got back to them, they had the trolley packed with Oreos, and chocolate chip cookies, and cereal.

I dropped the mac and cheese into the trolley and picked up a box titled 'Cap'n Crunch'. "What on earth is this?" I asked, wrinkling my nose at it.

Booth burst out laughing. "What? You don't know Cap'n Crunch? Aw, it's the best, Bones. You've got to try it for breakfast!"

I shook my head at him, dropping the box back into the trolley. "Don't think so, Booth. I'd rather not rot my teeth before I turn seventy."

_******************************************************************************_

_S. Booth's POV_

When we reached home, Parker was already half asleep. To be expected, considering we'd spent a very tiring day outside. At least, it's tiring for a six year old. I carried him into the house while Bones carried our groceries.

I managed to get Parker changed into his Pjs, all the while mumbling something about mac and cheese, and set him in bed. The moment his head hit the pillow, his eyes drifted shut and he started to snore lightly.

I smiled, brushing away his curls from his face, tucking in the comforter around him and turning off the light.

Closing the door before me, I walked quietly down the hallway, expecting Bones to be gone by the time I reached the living room. I couldn't help but feel upset at this. I know Bones felt out of place the whole time we were together today, but I couldn't have been happier. Bones and Parker were interacting, bonding. To see my two favorite people in the world getting along so well…It made me thankful for everything I had.

So when I saw an empty living room, it didn't surprise me at all. It did, however, dashed the last remaining shred of hope I had.

I sighed. Maybe I should just get a bottle of beer. I could make mac and cheese myself, but it would just depress me, reminding me of Bones and her mac and cheese. But beer, can do. I walked into the kitchen and stopped short. There was my Bones, finding a baking pan in my kitchen.

"Bones?" I blinked. This wasn't some sort of hallucinatory image was it?

She turned around and stared at me. "Booth, do you know where…?"

I darted forward, and opened a cabinet, pulling out what she needed. "Thanks," she mumbled, stepping back. I realized that I had been standing far too close for her comfort. Stepping back myself, I wiped my hands on my pants. "No, thanks, Bones. You know, for making mac and cheese, and for…Today."

She raised her eyebrow at me. "You let me cracked the party and you're thanking me?"

I chuckled at that. "It's crashed, Bones, _crashed_."

"Oh."

We stared at each other for a few awkward seconds. I don't think we've ever been in a situation like this before. I had kissed her. On the forehead, but it was still a kiss. We weren't usually that intimate. I can't even account for my actions, rationalize why I did it.

_Rationalize?_ I groaned. _Great. Now my inner voice even sounds like Bones!_

"Well, I should get started," Bones said, turning around to get the cheese out of the grocery bags.

"And I'll put the rest away," I said, grateful that I had at least something to do instead of over thinking matters.

It was just a kiss. Just a forehead kiss. It was nothing compared to the one she gave me on Christmas…Okay, why did I have to go think of that? I sighed again, arranging the cereal boxes in the cabinet.

When I was done, Bones was getting ready to put the mac and cheese in the oven. "Do you, uh, need help?" I asked lamely.

Bones raised an eyebrow at me. "Do I need help putting the mac and cheese in the oven? No, Booth, I think I've got it," she teased.

I scowled at her. When she was done, she turned around to face me, taking the oven mitts off her hands. "Where's Parker?" she asked, looking around.

I smiled. "He's asleep. Mumbled something about mac and cheese, but he's asleep," I told her.

Suddenly she looked uncomfortable. "Well, then, I shouldn't stay. He's tired and-"

"Hey, you're not in any way interrupting him from his sleep, so I say it's great that you're staying," I told her, placing a hand on her arm. Bones looked up at me, surprised, but all I could see are her cerulean eyes. Why are they so striking?

Bones cleared her throat, and stepped away from me. I hung my head. What was wrong with me today? Normally, I would have an ounce of self control, but today, it's like I'm openly defying it.

"We should watch TV."

I turned and grinned at her. "Did I just hear Temperance Brennan suggest we watch the 'idiot box'?" I couldn't help but tease. I knew she enjoyed watching the Saturday morning cartoons with Parker just now. I just didn't find a better time to tease her earlier.

Bones scowled at me. "There were certain factors which I found relaxing, but I would hardly call it enjoyment. The whole process of it is highly educational."

"You were watching cartoons, Bones. Nothing educational about that," I reminded her.

"That's where you're wrong, Booth. Take for example the boy genius-"

I waved her off. "Okay, you know what? At this rate, we will wake Parker up. Let's just…Go watch a movie or something, okay?" I placed my hand at her back and steered her to the living room. "How do you feel about the Terminator?"

"What does it terminate?" Bones asked, looking at me confusedly.

I shook my head, looking heavenward. "Why do I even ask these things anymore?" I muttered, taking out my Terminator DVD and putting it in the player. "Just remember, Bones. As stupid as it is, just sit back, relax and enjoy. No anthropological analyzing."

"I'm an anthropologist, Booth. Analyzing situations anthropologically is what I _do_."

"Not when you're watching the Terminator."

"I don't know what that means."

I sighed, shooting her a look that was meant to quiet her when the FBI warning came on the screen. Of course, it had the opposite effect on her. "Is this an FBI thing?"

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

When the governor was fighting off the other guy, and asking the blonde woman to run, I don't know for the hundredth time probably, the oven timer went off. Booth paused the movie and went to help me in the kitchen.

"What do you think of the movie so far, Bones?" he asked, grinning at me, taking out plates for us.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, so I'm allowed to talk now, Booth?" I asked, my tone dripping in sarcasm. Every time I opened my mouth to ask him something, or comment on the movie, he'd clamp his hand over my mouth. I'd seriously given consideration to bite his hand every time it happened.

Booth only laughed as I scooped up some mac and cheese for us both. "I think it's fairly idiotic, and unrealistic. What confuses me the most is why the governor is running around half naked, shooting at an apparently indestructible man from the future," I said honestly.

Booth took his plate and I took mine, both of us heading back to the living room. "Because it's a movie, Bones. It's not supposed to make sense. It's a fantasy world we can make believe exist for two hours," he told me.

"And it doesn't bother you that you've seen the governor naked?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Booth snorted. "Billions of people have. Let's just forget he's the governor and watch the movie, kay, Bones?"

"It's still not believable," I muttered as he pressed the 'resume' button on the remote.

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

As stupid as things go, my forgetting the sex scene in Terminator is perhaps the most stupid one of all. I had already placed my arm around her, and she had leaned into me. I think it's just because she's tired. We had eaten our mac and cheese (I'd gone back for more twice), and we were just happily watching "our governor", as Bones puts it every five minutes, shoot at people, and suddenly he and that Sarah chick were making out, taking each other's clothes off.

Needless to say, I'd withdrawn my arm quickly, though what I really wanted to do was what was happening on the screen, and I'd fast forward to more violence, less sex.

"Interesting," Bones said, after the most uncomfortable minute of silence.

"Yes," I choked out.

"It's not uncommon for Hollywood directors to put in an intimate scene in their movies just to increase the marketability of the film," she said. I gave her a look. "Or…So I've read," she added sheepishly.

"Daddy?"

Bones and I jumped at the sound. In the deafening silence, we hadn't even realized that Parker had padded down the hall to the living room. God, I hope he hadn't seen anything on screen. Or off it, either.

"Parks?" I cleared my throat so I wouldn't sound like I'd gone days without water. "What are you doing up?"

He was frowning at me. "I'm hungry," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I had tell you to waken me up when Dr. Bones has made the mac and cheese."

I was surprised that Bones didn't correct his grammar. Instead, she patted the couch. "Come sit here, I'll go reheat the mac and cheese and bring you out a plate, okay?"

Parker nodded, shuffling his little feet until he reached the couch. He climbed onto the seat and plopped down. I watched Bones disappear into the kitchen, and heard her moving around a few seconds later.

"Daddy, what is that man doing?" he pointed to the screen.

Seeing the shooting sequence, and deciding that it probably wasn't such a great idea if Parker were to see violence, I turned it off. "Nothing, Parks. What do you want to watch?" I asked.

"Nemo!" Parker decided, his entire face lighting up.

"Nemo it is," I agreed, even though inside I was grumbling. God only knows how many times Parker had watched the fish movie.

When Bones came out, she was juggling three plates. "More for me, Bones?" I teased.

She rolled her eyes. "I figured if I was hungry enough for another plate, so are you," she shot back.

I snorted into my plate of mac and cheese. Parker watched Nemo, oblivious. When Nemo and his dad were swimming to Nemo's school, Bones looked down at Parker and said seriously, "You know fish don't talk or go to school, right?"

Parker giggled, and snuggled into Bones' side. Noting her panicked expression, I was about to tell Parker to finish up his dinner and get back to bed, but Bones, ever the unpredictable one, surprised me by putting her arm around Parker and holding him.

I watched them for a second, then pretended I was watching Nemo. Bones and Parker. Well. I hope they continue to bond. I would love it if Parker regarded Bones as…As what, exactly, I asked myself. As a really cool squint? As my friend? As his friend? As…Something more?

Pushing that thought away, I berated myself. I couldn't start thinking like that. Bones and I, we're partners. We're more than that, we're friends. I confide in her more than I confide to anyone else I've ever known. I know she confides in me, trusts me. I can't start turning our relationship into something else, twist it until it's unrecognizable anymore.

So if this is what I get, my partner and friend, Bones. Then I'm happy with it. I am. Really.

******************************************************************************

Parker fell asleep somewhere along the movie. I think the orange fish is in some sort of a tank now. I nudged Booth with my foot. "He's asleep," I whispered. Booth nodded, and took Parker in his arms.

"Be right back," he mouthed.

I know I should be cleaning up, or getting my things and wait for Booth to get back so I can go home. It's already eleven now. I should get home. I've spent his entire Saturday, wasted it.

Instead, I follow him. I don't think he realizes, or notices. He carries Parker to what I assume is Parker's room. It has posters of sport games, and one poster read 'Manchester', another read 'Yankees'. I don't know what any of these mean.

He pulled back the rumpled bed spread and I see that it's covered with animated figures. He places Parker down in the bed, and tucks him in.

"Changed your mind, Bones?" he whispered.

I jumped a little, and when he turned, he smiled. He knew I was surprised he had noticed me standing in the hallway, watching them.

He kissed Parker on the forehead, and headed out, closing the bedroom door behind him. I took a few steps back until I was pressed against the wall behind me. "Changed my mind?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. What on earth was he talking about?

"About not having kids," he prompted.

I started, wanting to tell him 'no'. Then my eyes drifted to the closed bedroom door, and my thoughts were pulled apart in so many different directions I truly thought I had lost my mind.

"I don't know," I said softly, looking down. I drew invisible patterns on the floor with the tip of my toe, avoiding his gaze. I knew the moment I looked into his brown eyes, he'd see how much I loved spending time with Parker today, how much I loved the idea of Parker being mine, being close to me, depending on me, loving me. Most of all, he'd see how much I loved spending time with him.

Booth stepped closer to me, and lifted my chin with his finger, just like he had earlier today. Our eyes met, cerulean and brown, and connected. "Hey, it's alright to want it. What did you say before, 'a natural byproduct of care giving'?"

I glared at him for a second, before his smile affected me. "Yeah, well…You're great with Parker. You're…You're his dad. You're a great dad," I stated. I wanted to tell him to never leave his son, to not make the same mistakes my dad made with me, because then Parker would eventually hate him for leaving. But I couldn't do that. I knew as well as Booth the consequences of his job. Anything could happen. I knew Booth would never leave his son on purpose, and that's good enough for him. For them both.

"Thanks, Bones," his smile grew.

It was then that I realize just how closely we're standing. There was barely an inch of space between us, barely any air for me to breathe. All I could see, all I could breathe, was him. Booth seemed to realize this, as well. I expected him to back off, but he just stepped closer, invading what little space I had left to myself.

"Booth…" Every single nerve in my body, every cell, every thought was screaming at me to run as far away as I could right now. But all I could do is watch as Booth came closer.

He trailed the finger under my chin up my cheek, my temple, down my ear. He brushed away a strand of hair, tucking it behind my ear. He leaned in closer, then hovered. His eyes flickered to mine, asking my permission for this. He knew I would run.

So I closed the distance between us, brushing my lips against his. I watched the surprise in his eyes before he closed them, and deepened our kiss. My own eyes drifted close as I wrap my arms around his middle. I watched fireworks explode behind my eyelids as he kissed me, caressed my arm, hold me.

I was about to pull away, about to run from him, but I felt his tongue against my lips, probing, seeking entrance. Without even realizing it, my lips parted for him. I felt his tongue stroking mine, felt the passion building into a fury, and hugged myself closer to him.

When Booth finally pulled back, I was gasping for air. He smiled at me, contented, and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I should go," I whispered, when I could finally breathe again.

His face fell. "What? Bones…"

I shook my head. "No, Booth. I'm not…I'm not running away," I whispered, surprising us both. No, Booth was my partner, my best friend. I wasn't going to screw up our friendship, or whatever this may be, by getting scared. If I do get scared, I'll have Angela to turn to. But Booth means a lot to me, so I won't mess things up. I can't.

"I just…Parker's here. I don't want to…It's complicated if he wakes up and I'm still here," I rested my head in the crook of his neck, and trailed little patterns on the exposed skin of his throat.

"Stay," he whispered, pressing a light kiss on my forehead.

I pulled back, looking him straight in the eyes. "Booth…"

He shook his head, pressing a finger to my lips. "I'm not asking you for much, Temperance. I…I want us to work. I want us to be together, and not mess things up. I want us to go slow," he brushed his lips softly against mine and pulled back. "I'm not asking for anything, just for you to stay."

I stared at him, trying to figure out the right response. Go slow? Can we do that? By all of my calculations, I'd been feeling this way about him for years. I've never let it show, but it's happened. It was always there in the back of my head. I don't think he's harbored the same feelings for that long, so can we really go slow?

Everything else he said seemed to be right, though. I also wanted us to be able to work things out, if we take this next step together in our relationship.

I bit my lip, and nodded my head.

Booth smiled, stepping away from me. Holding my hands in his, he walked backwards, guiding me to the direction of his room.

_First of all, let me just say that I am so unbelievably happy at the number of people who are reading my stories. And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I know there isn't a lot of Parker in this chapter, but I'm hoping BB made up for it. Thanks again!_

_Okay, so how was BB's first kiss here? Good or horrible?_

_Btw, you know it's going to come out at the Jeffersonian, and I'm working on that part right now…I'm just a little confused, though, and I was hoping some of you might have a viable opinion._

_I kind of like understanding Cam, the one who's a good friend and supports BB. But I like evil Cam more. And I'm going to bring in an old flame who's going to work their hardest to get their lover back, so is it too much? Evil Cam and old flame?_

_Let me know, okay?? Read and review!!!_


	5. The Morning After

_**A/N:**__ Okay, this is so beyond cool how many people are R and sometimes R. Thanks! More BB and Parker bonding in this one._

_**Disclaimer:**__ You know what to get me for Christmas…_

_**POV: **__T. Brennan, S. Booth_

________________________________________________________________________________

_T. Brennan's POV_

When I woke up, Booth wasn't beside me. At first I thought I'd imagine the entire thing. Parker, the aquarium, mac and cheese, our kiss…But then I realized that I was wearing one of Booth's sleep shirts and a loose sweatpants. Not mine.

Sitting up, I could smell the food wafting in through the bedroom door. Bacon, omelets, pancakes…I shook my head. It was just like Booth to give his son an 'American man's breakfast', even at home. I should really get him to look into healthier food. Bacon can't be good for the body.

I climbed off the bed, and made for the door. Then I halted. Parker was outside. What am I going to say to him? That I had a sleepover? He's six, not stupid. He'll know I'm lying. And I don't even believe in lying to children…But what else could I say? 'Your dad and I are somewhere in the middle of the next step in our relationship and he asked me to stay the night but don't worry all we did was make out and sleep'?

I groaned, flopping back on the bed. Booth was going to kill me for saying anything inappropriate to his son.

Well, I couldn't stay in here forever. I'd just have to face this. _Come on, Tempe. If you could handle snakes, you can handle this._

I padded slowly, softly, down the hallway to the kitchen.

"So, why did Dr. Bones stay over, daddy?"

I froze.

"I already told you, bub. She was tired. I let her stay over. You want more pancakes?"

"Um-hmm. But why did she sleep in your room?"

"Because the guest room was full of monsters!" Booth made some horrible noise I wasn't capable of, but from Parker's squeals, I'm guessing he was tickling him again, or something to that effect.

"Are you and Dr. Bones going to get married?" Parker inquired.

I fell against the wall and squeezed my eyes shut. This cannot be happening. Maybe our next step was too soon. Maybe it was a mistake. Marriage? I don't believe in marriage! I felt like running out of here screaming that at the top of my lungs.

"No, bub. We're not."

"Why not?" Parker whined. Was that a hint of sadness in his voice?

"Because…You know when you just made a friend, and you don't want to ruin the friendship?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's kind of like that."

"Daddy, you know Dr. Bones for a very long time."

"That's true. But marriage takes time."

"Oh."

Okay, maybe all hope's not gone. If Booth thinks that time is all it takes, then he's crazy. But if he's only saying that to appease Parker, then he's just a dad caught in the spotlight.

I took another deep breath and came out of my hiding place. "Goo m'r'ng Dr. Bones!" Parker said, his mouth full of pancakes.

"Parks, don't talk with your mouth full," Booth chided, then smiled at me. "Morning, Bones."

I smiled tentatively at them both. "Um, good morning," I greeted.

"Come sit here, Dr. Bones!" Parker said, swallowing before speaking. I inched closer and sat next to him at the kitchen table.

Booth handed me a plate, and I took some pancakes.

"Where are we going today, daddy?"

"I thought we could go see a movie. How 'bout that, bub?"

"Cool. Are you coming, Dr. Bones?"

I froze again. Why does he have to get the upper hand all the time? For all things supposedly holy, he's six! "Um, you know, I think I'll just head home today."

"Bones, come on. Movies are fun," Booth flashed me that damned charm smile of his.

I rolled my eyes. "Booth, I'm wearing your clothes. I think it's time to step back into the women's world."

"I think you look nice."

"Sure you do."

______________________________________________________________________________

_S. Booth's POV_

Parker had insisted on going with Bones to see her apartment. He had never done that before. I don't think he'll be too impressed. He's a six year old kid, and she doesn't even have a TV in her apartment. But I couldn't sway him otherwise, and Bones didn't look too panicked or bothered by the idea. Besides, she doesn't have her car with her anyway. I have to drive her to the Royal so she could drive home.

When we reached her apartment, both cars arriving at the same time, Parker was beyond excited, even though I'd tried telling him that Bones didn't have a TV. His answer was that he'd already watched TV at home.

I walked Parker to the door, but he dashed inside after Bones before I could stop him. "Please, God, don't let him break some Tibetan vase or statue or whatever," I prayed quickly, and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

I couldn't find Bones or Parker anywhere, so I called out for them. "In here, daddy!" I followed Parker's voice up to Bones' bedroom. I stopped outside the door. I'd never been in there before. I don't think I should go in.

"Parks, come out here. I'm sure Bones want to have some time alone," I yelled.

The door cracked open further and Bones poked her head out. "It's okay, Booth. Come on," she tilted her head, indicating that I should come in. Seeing my hesitance, she lowered her voice, "I've spent the night in your room, Booth, it's only fair."

Groaning, I stepped inside. Parker was sprawled on her bed, flipping through a National Geographic magazine. I'd bet he was only looking at the pictures. Bones was going through her wardrobe.

"Hey, bub," I sat tentatively on the edge of the bed

"Daddy, look!" he pointed to an angiogram of a human heart.

"Geez, Bones!"

"What? I don't have any children's books…Besides, he doesn't seem too bothered by it," she shrugged.

I rolled my eyes. I know Parker wasn't bothered. He finds it cool. I, on the other hand, have enough of body parts doing my job. Weekends are weekends. Sports, movies, pigging out. Nothing more.

"I'm going to take a shower," Bones announced, holding up the clothes in her hands. I watched her walk out of the door and heard the pitter patter of her feet fading down the hallway.

"Come on, bub. Let's go wait outside," I picked Parker up and set him down on the floor. I knew Bones wouldn't mind Parker and I being in her bedroom, but my idea of the first time in her bedroom didn't include Parker whatsoever.

Parker wanted to know about half the things in Bones' living room, which included statues of things I didn't know, or pictures of places I'd never even knew existed. I almost cried in relief when Bones came out of her bedroom, dressed in jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt.

"So what movie are we watching?" she asked, looking at me, then at Parker.

"Madagascar 2!" he held up two fingers to prove his point.

Bones' brows furrowed. "The island?"

______________________________________________________________________________

"Why does every movie we watch portray talking animals?"

"Bones! Just watch it! It's kinda funny…"

"But it's not right!"

"Shh!"

______________________________________________________________________________

After the movie ended, Parker wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese. "I hope they have salad there," Bones sighed, placing a hand on her stomach.

I grinned at her. "Having withdrawals, Bones?"

She glared at me. "I have no idea how you spend your entire life eating like this. After a day and a half, I feel sick."

"Aw, you'll get used to it, Bones," I said, helping Parker into the car and buckling him in.

I closed the door to the back seat and faced her. "God, I hope not," she muttered, shaking her head.

I laughed, leaning forward to brush my lips against hers. Bones' eyes widened slightly, but she didn't tense up or pulled away-a very good sign in my book.

I drove to the nearest Chuck E. Cheese and as usual, the place was full of kids. It was a Sunday, so the place was doubly packed. "I don't think this is a very conducive environment," Bones yelled to be heard over the noise.

"Relax, Bones! Kids love this place!" I yelled back, waving at the obvious.

"I meant for adults with an IQ above one hundred and sixty!" she shouted back.

I managed to get us a table, and ordered us a pizza (Bones poked at my side until I got her something from the salad bar), and as soon as our order was made, Parker wanted to play the arcade games.

I got him some tokens and allowed him to play the games nearest us-I didn't want him getting lost in here. It was so packed with kids. How does anyone find anybody in here?

I watched him for a moment before turning to Bones. She was looking around interestedly, probably making some sort of anthropological deduction about the place. I snorted a little. That would be exactly like her. I leaned forward and took her hand in mine. We were close enough for me to speak to her without having to yell. "Listen, Bones. Thanks for coming with us, yesterday and today," I told her sincerely.

She flushed a little. "It's fine, Booth. I like Parker. It's been very enjoyable."

I grinned, unable to resist an opportunity to tease her. "Only Parker? I was under the impression that you liked me, Bones…" That earned me one of her death glares and a slap to the shoulder.

I watched as her expression became unreadable. "Uh, Booth? I don't…I'm not very good at the relationship talks. Or, you know, relationships. Period," she said slowly. I bit my lip, refraining myself from saying 'yeah, I know'. Somehow, I don't think she'd appreciate that.

"I just…What are we doing?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "We're waiting for our pizza at Chuck E. Cheese."

"Booth!"

I raised my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay." I sighed, taking her hand again and rubbing slow, soothing circles on the back of her hand. "We're doing something inevitable," I said finally. I have to choose my words very carefully. I don't want to risk scaring her away. I know that she's told me she's not planning on running from me, but it's still Temperance Brennan. She's not the distant, calculating woman everyone thinks she is. Not in situations like these. Right here, now, she's Temperance Brennan, the woman who's been left alone too many times to count, who's been hurt over and over again. All I want is to protect her, and be with her.

"Inevitable?"

"Yes. I've had these feelings for a while now, Bones. I don't want to scare you, but this is what it is," I shrugged.

She seemed to be thinking my words over. "So…Will our friendship suffer? If anything happens, will our partnership and our friendship end, too?" Bones looked at me, studying me with her piercing cerulean eyes. I could see the carefully hidden fear in them, though. I knew her too well.

"No, Bones. Nothing will happen to us. Not to our partnership, not to our friendship, and if I have anything to say about it, not to us, period." I brought her hand up to my lips and brushed my lips against her smooth skin. I felt her shiver slightly, and smiled.

"What will we tell people?"

I pondered over this. What would we tell people? I was hoping that we could keep it quiet for a little while, have some alone time before we have to break it out. But would people notice the differences? I wasn't planning on throwing her on her desk and taking her right there and then… Not in real life, anyway. But there would be subtle differences, sometimes even not to our knowledge. Things like that happen when you're in a relationship. And someone who pays attention- *ahem*, Angela, *ahem*- would surely notice those differences.

"I was thinking we keep it quiet for a while," I said finally. "I just want us to be able to have a good start, without interferences, you know?" Bones nodded her head, agreeing with me. "You can tell Angela if you want," I offered as an after-thought.

Bones grinned at me. "Afraid she'll figure it out on her own, huh, FBI man?"

I tried to give her a playful scowl, but my smile was too big. "No! She's got nothing on me! I'm FBI, it's my job to be discreet!"

Bones laughed, just as the waitress came by with the pizza and her salad. Bones offered to go get Parker, and I agreed. I hadn't realized just how starving I was until the pizza came. I snatched up a slice as soon as she was gone.

"And then, I won that game three times, Dr. Bones!" I looked up from my second slice of pizza, and smiled at the scene before me. Bones was carrying Parker, cradled at her hip, and he was enthusiastically relegating his tales from the arcade to her.

"Three times? Congratulations, Parker," Bones said, smiling at him.

Bones may not be ready for love, or children, or anything that I may have in mind, but she's ready for this, whatever this is. I won't push it, or scare her. I'll try my best to keep her at my side. But until then, I'm pretty satisfied.

_Hey, so this is all I've got for this chapter. Hope it doesn't suck. New chapter up in a few hours, because right now I'm working on my Twilight fics. It's crazy going from one fic to another, huh? Anyway, yes, Peacockgirl, I am going to be bringing Sully back. No worries, because it's still BB all the way. I hope I don't offend anyone who was a fan of Sully's, because I didn't like him. I won't make him into a bad guy, though, cuz he didn't seem that way to me. But still, BB fan. So…_

_Read and review, guys!!!_


	6. Not So Happy Ending

_**A/N:**__ Can I just say how much it sucks that BB are getting love interests in the next few episodes?? Booth's brother for Brennan (weird or what??) and some agent for Booth?? NO!!! I thought we were progressing towards BB, see the ending of last episode, where they were talking about Sweets and Daisy. This just sucks._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Not mine._

_**POV:**__ S. Booth, Rebecca S._

________________________________________________________________________________

_S. Booth's POV_

We had gone back to my place after lunch at Chuck E. Cheese. Parker had learnt during lunch that Bones had never played childhood games before. I know Bones' parents had left her, and so did her brother, but sort of a childhood did she have before that?

Bones told me that she had always been more interested in science than playing games. Figures super squint would have a chemistry set instead of a set of Candyland.

An hour into the games, Bones had been confused by two and mastered three others. Parker was jumping up and down in excitement, but he was tiring himself. I got him to take a nap in his room, while I cleaned up the junk food mess he'd made. Alright, I'd made. Bones helped me.

"I think I should go now," Bones said after a while.

I glanced at her and she smiled. "I don't know when Rebecca would be coming by to pick him up. I assume she won't be too thrilled by the idea of my being here," she explained.

I shrugged, though I couldn't help sneaking a look at the clock. It was already four-thirty. Rebecca would be here by six.

"Aw, come on, Bones. Let the kid say goodbye before he goes home," I persuaded her. "Besides, Rebecca has Captain Fantastic spend the time with him all the time. I'm not allowed to have you here?"

Bones frowned and sat down on the arm of the couch. "You know, that's not entirely healthy for a boy his age, either," she said after a moment.

I stared at her, confused. "What is?"

"Having too many irregularities in his life. I'm not sure about…" She glanced at me. "Captain Fantastic," she tried out, and I grinned. "I just think it's not a good idea for him to be surrounded by people who don't have a fixed position in his life."

Then she seemed to catch herself. "Not that I mean anything by it," she added quickly. "I was merely giving my input on the situation. I don't mean to force my thinking on your son, or on Rebecca's views on how Parker should be raised."

I waved it off. "No, Bones. You're you. You have an opinion on everything. I know that better than anyone," I smirked. "But I also happen to agree with you."

Stepping closer to her, I raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you're an irregularity in his life?"

Bones caught my eyes and for a moment, she was silent. I worried that I might have pushed her a little far. This was sort of asking if she was planning on staying in the long run. Commitment. Not a good place to start.

Then she swallowed, and stuttered, "I…Don't know. I can't compare myself to Captain Fantastic, but, well, it's been discussed that our relationship would go back to its usual tenor if this doesn't work out, and…"

I closed the distance between us, and tilted her head backwards slightly. Leaning down, I caught her lips with mine. Bones gasped into my mouth, and that prompted me to wrap my arm around her slender waist, and lifted her up to a standing position so that I could press our bodies together, hug her to me. Bones slid her arm behind my back, and entangled her fingers in my hair.

I could feel her lower lip trembling, so I sucked on it gently. "It's okay, it's just us," I whispered, before deepening the kiss again. Bones nodded a little against me, and I felt her confidence this time.

The doorbell rang.

______________________________________________________________________________

_Rebecca S.' POV_

I checked my watch, impatient. Where was Seeley? He knew I was coming to pick Parker up, didn't he? God, why isn't he answering the door? I pressed the doorbell again.

Finally, the door to his apartment opened. Seeley took one look at me, and a myriad of emotions passed through his features in a matter of the three seconds he kept silent. "Rebecca, you're an hour and a half early," he said, his jaw set.

"I know," I begun. "But Drew and I are taking the week off to visit his mom in Utah. We're going to need to prepare Parker for tomorrow. It's a long trip, you understand," I said, trying to peek over his shoulder to see where Parker was.

"Rebecca, you couldn't have packed his things for him?" Booth demanded, blocking my access intentionally. "Or dropped him off earlier on Friday? Or, gee, I don't know, tell me beforehand?"

He was downright livid, and this just made me madder. What right did he have to get angry with me? All I wanted to do was take my son somewhere. "Seeley, it doesn't even concern you-"

"Doesn't concern me?" Seeley exploded. "Are you out of your mind, Rebecca? He's my son! You're taking him away for an entire week-"

"A week that you won't even see him in!" I snapped back.

"Because you won't let me!"

I was pretty sure the entire neighborhood had heard us, but thank God no one came out to look. I was already embarrassed enough by his attitude. "Seeley, I'm taking my son right now. You try and stop me, so help me God…" I shook my head.

I saw him clench his jaw, and I knew he was stumped. He would have loved to challenge me, but I have the upper hand here. I could just refuse to let him see Parker, and that would be it.

"Daddy?" I heard.

Booth turned around and I used this opportunity to slip through the doorway. "Hey, sweetie," I greeted Parker.

He looked at me, confused. "Is it time to go already?" he pouted at me.

I glared at Seeley. No doubt he picked up this attitude from the one and only Seeley Booth. "Yeah, sweetie. Drew and you and me, we're going to go on a little trip tomorrow, okay? So we gotta go home and pack. Come on, Parker," I held out my hand.

Parker glanced up at Seeley. "Are you and Dr. Bones coming too, daddy?" he asked, with all the innocence of a six year old boy.

"Dr. Bones?" I knew she was Seeley's partner, but why would Parker bring him up all of a sudden?

Seeley squatted down to Parker's height and shook his head. "Sorry, bub. It's just the three of you this time," he said quietly. I could see him trying to keep his anger at bay. "Why don't you go get your stuff and say goodbye to Dr. Bones while I talk with your mommy, 'kay?"

Parker's lip quivered a little but he nodded his head and shuffled back in the direction of his room.

The moment he was gone, I rounded on Seeley. "Dr. Brennan is here?" I whispered to him angrily. "How dare you, Seeley? Our son was in here. How dare you bring a woman here!"

Seeley shook his head at me. "Don't even give me that, Rebecca. You've had boyfriends before Drew, you brought them near Parker all the time. And Drew's practically living at your house now. My relationship with Bones is a lot more solid that any of yours, so don't even try to make me feel guilty about this!" he retorted.

"But Dr. Bones! You have to come! I won't have 'ne friends there…" I could hear Parker whining. I felt the anger in me flaring to an even greater height.

"I swear, Seeley. If he becomes attached to her, and she disappears on him, or hurts him-"

"Bones would never do that."

I fumed. How could he dismiss my concerns like that? It was a perfectly plausible worry.

"I think your mother and Cap-Drew," I rolled my eyes. So she's adopted Seeley's nickname for Drew as well, I see. "Would want to spend some time alone with you. I'll see you soon, Parker, don't worry."

We'll just see about that, _Dr. Bones_.

"I'm gon miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Go ahead, your mom's waiting."

Parker emerged from the kitchen, and I smiled brightly at him. He was still pouting, but I refused to show him my anger. It'll just give him leverage to annoy me until I give in to him staying at Seeley's a little longer.

Seeley crouched in front of Parker again, helping him into his coat, zipping him up, and helping him put on his bag. "Don't worry, bub. I'll call you everyday, won't I, Rebecca?" he shot me a glare.

I groaned inwardly. A promise Parker would never forget. "Yes. I'll call your dad later to give him the number," I said cheerily.

This seemed to cheer Parker up a little. "Will you let me talk to Dr. Bones?" he looked at Seeley, then at me.

Seeley smiled and shrugged. "If you want to."

Parker nodded enthusiastically. I shot another glare at Seeley, and another in the direction of the kitchen. "Bye, bub. I'll see you next week, 'kay? Be good for your mommy. I love you."

Parker hugged Seeley tightly with his tiny arms. "Love you too, daddy."

I watched them for a while, then I tugged at Parker's hand. "Come on, Parker. We have to go. Drew's waiting at home."

Parker reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled away, and waved sadly at Seeley.

I rushed him down to the parking lot, and settled him in my car.

"So, did you have fun this weekend, Parker?" I asked.

Parker brightened at the question. "Yeah!" He launched into the details of his weekend, most of which included Dr. Bones. I fumed as I drove. How could Seeley allow her to be so involved with Parker? She was his partner, I get that, and I even thought she was fairly decent after she told me about Seeley's worries on why I didn't marry him.

But that was it. She had no right to be in my son's life. Seeley had no right to introduce her to my son's life.

This will stop. I'll see to that.

_I feel like I'm writing a soap opera-there's so many evil people already planned. And Rebecca just kind of got mixed into it all. I don't know what her reaction would be, but I never liked her. She always threatened to take Parker away from Booth permanently, or always tries to exclude Booth from Parker's life. I just figured she wouldn't be too happy._

_More to come soon._

_Read and Review, yeah??_


	7. Where Do We Go From Here?

_**A/N:** So I was watching Santa in the Slush…AGAIN…And I noticed that Captain Fantastic's name is Brent, not Drew. Sorry for the mistake. Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed. Hope you like this one._

_**Disclaimer:** The opposite of a yes._

_**POVs: **T. Brennan, S. Booth_

________________________________________________________________________________

_T. Brennan's POV_

The moment I heard Booth say "Rebecca, you're an hour and a half early", I slipped into the kitchen. I didn't know the relationship between Booth and Rebecca. I knew they slept together about a year ago, and Booth had told me that it was over, but I didn't know exactly where they stand now.

I know they have certain disagreements, like with Brent always being around Parker, and the amount of time Booth gets with him. Just a few weeks ago, during Christmas, Rebecca had wanted to take away Booth's Christmas with Parker. While it ended well, it had more to do with Parker running away to the FBI building to find Booth rather than an agreement reached by Booth and Rebecca.

I started to clean up the mess in the kitchen quietly, placing the empty cheesy baking tray into the sink, wiping down the counter…I couldn't turn on the faucet because I didn't know if Rebecca knew I was in here, or if Booth wanted Rebecca to know that I was in here.

"Dr. Bones?" Parker called out.

I turned around. Parker was at the doorway of the kitchen, his bag sloppily slung over his shoulders and his hair messy with sleep. He was sniffling, and I suppose this was the result of his reluctance to leave Booth so early.

I squatted down and held out my arms, and Parker ran into them. I felt him hug me tightly, and I reciprocated. "Hey, Parker, it's okay," I soothed. "You and your dad will see each other very soon, won't you?"

He nodded against my neck. He pulled back to look me in the eyes, and I was surprised once again at the similarities in his features he shared with Booth. His warm brown eyes were exactly the same as Booth's. They were normally happy, and comforting.

Only now, they were tinged with sadness. "Dr. Bones, mommy and Brent are taking me away," he whispered. "They want me to go with them on a twip."

Amidst the panic in my head, I subconsciously noticed that he sometimes had trouble pronouncing words with the letter 'r' in it. It might be a phase. He'll learn to enunciate.

"A trip?" I asked, my brows furrowing. "That sounds…Exciting," I tried to make it sound as if I wasn't upset by this. Parker seemed sad enough for the both of us. I could only imagine how Booth is feeling right now.

"You have to come with us. You have to go, then daddy will come, too," he tugged at my sleeve.

My heart broke just watching him like this. He missed Booth, and who could blame him? Booth gets him two days every two weeks. How is that fair? I've seen Booth with Parker, he would do anything for him. Rebecca should allow them more time together. She gets him almost all the time. While I know she didn't actually have to let them spend time together, considering the fact that they weren't previously married, any blind idiot could see the love and affection between father and son.

In my opinion, it's just cruel to give them so little time together.

"Parker, I can't come with you. Your mom and Brent want you to themselves for a little while, it's understandable," I told him, trying to make myself sound happy for him. "You'll be fine, Parker. You'll have fun. And when you come back, you'll get to see your dad. See? It won't be so bad…"

Parker shook his head, and he sniffled even more. Was he getting a cold? "But Dr. Bones! You have to come! I won't have 'ne friends there!" He was practically wailing now, and buried his face in the material of my shirt.

I rubbed his back soothingly. "Shh, Parker," I comforted him. When he calmed down enough, I took him by the shoulders so I could look him steadily in the eyes. "I think your mom and Cap-Brent," I hoped Rebecca didn't hear me say that out loud. "Would want to spend some time alone with you."

I hugged his small body to me, and smoothed back the curls from his face. "I'll see you soon, Parker, don't worry."

"I'm gon miss you," he said. He sniffed once more-I should really get Booth to check him for a fever-and kissed me on the cheek.

I smiled, brushing away the drop of tear that had made its way down his cheek. "I'll miss you too. Go ahead, your mom's waiting."

I heard Parker and Booth saying goodbye, then the door slamming a few moments later. I turned on the faucet and started scrubbing the tray clean. I wasn't sure how Booth was at that moment, and I wanted to comfort him, but I was the last person who could give anyone any form of comfort. For all I know, I'd just end up making things worse for him.

I should just clean up, help with the things I could do. The non-emotional ones.

Once I'd cleaned the tray, dried it, and placed it back where I found it, and straightened out just about everything else in the kitchen, I came to the conclusion that there was nothing else I could do in the kitchen.

Booth still hadn't come into the kitchen, so I assume he would want some time alone. It's understandable, too. He'd felt robbed of his time with his son, I would think. I'm not very good in psychology, nor do I believe in it, but I know Booth. And I know how much he loves Parker. He must be feeling awful right about now.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the living room.

I could still see the games lying on the table where Booth had placed them after Parker had gone to sleep. He was sitting on the couch, his head tilted back, his eyes closed. One of his hands was covering his forehead.

I stood there staring at him for a while. It was unnerving to see him like this. It was even more unnerving to know that he could sense me here, due to his sniper training, and he hadn't said a word yet or shown any signs that indicated he knew of my presence.

I bit my lip and went to sit by him. Placing a hand on his arm, I kept my silence. If he was ready to talk, he would. I knew that better than anyone. You don't just force someone to open up. Of course, that hasn't stopped me in the past. But after what had happened just a few minutes ago, I needed to think before I spoke.

Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at me, letting his hand flop down on the couch. "It just sucks," was all he said.

I nodded my head. "I know," I whispered. I didn't know what else to do, or say. I wasn't very good at emotional situations. I tend to say the wrong things.

But then again, this was Booth. And Parker. This was different. "I wish I could make it better for you and him," I said, reaching to brush at his hair gently.

Booth smiled sadly at me, and took the hand I had in his hair. He brought it down to his lips and kissed it. "You just did."

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

I sighed, my eyes snapping open. I glanced irritably at the alarm clock on the bedside table, noting that it was two in the morning. I had been tossing and turning for the past three hours.

Rebecca had called me, at ten o'clock at night when I was about ready to snap and call her myself. She had given me the phone number, with a reminder that she and I still needed to talk about the 'Dr. Bones' situation'. I hadn't told Bones yet about Rebecca's aversion to her spending time with Parker. This was bigger than me. Parker adores her, and I could even see that Bones adores him. I wouldn't hurt her by bringing it up. It was completely unnecessary.

Parker is my son, too. Bones is a very important part of my life. If Rebecca could associate Parker with whatever scumbag she's dating at the moment, then I can introduce him to Bones. He likes her. They've even met when we were just partners. I see no harm in it.

Of all the people I knew, Bones was the least likely to hurt Parker. She knows how much it hurt to have someone you love, especially a family member, walk out on you. She knows how difficult it is to trust someone.

She would never harm Parker.

Rebecca should know that, even if she didn't know Bones the way I do. Granted, she's never actually been very close with Bones, and they haven't known each other for a significant amount of time, but even she could see that Bones was a respectable, righteous woman. She would never do something like that.

I glanced to my right, where Bones was curled up next to me, asleep. She was wearing one of my sleep shirts again. I knew it probably wasn't fair of me to ask her to stay for the second night in a row, especially after I'd promised I would take it slow. But after everything that had happened, I just wanted the reassurance her presence brings me.

Just watching her, sleeping next to me, lost in a peaceful slumber…It was enough to bring me some peace of mind.

Parker's my son, and I love him. I know he loves me, and he understands why I'm not always around. But it's still not fair to either of us. I'm really trying to be a good father. I do my best to be a part of Parker's life.

But it seems that every time I turn around, Rebecca's either threatening to take Parker away from me, or introducing her boyfriends to him, or just playing more of her games. And now, with Captain Fantastic running around being the best boyfriend ever, taking them to Vermont and Utah and God knows where else…I don't know if Parker would grow up remembering me as the dad that loves him, or forgetting me as the guy that used to be a dad.

I sighed again as I realized that sleep wasn't coming to me tonight. I smiled down at Bones, making a small mental note to tease her some when in the upcoming future about her snoring tonight. I wrapped my arms around her waist and she subconsciously snuggled into me. I smiled wider, closing my eyes and letting my head drop on her shoulder. I shifted slightly so I could smell the shampoo on her hair.

I might not be able to sleep much, but at least Bones is here with me, safe, asleep, comforting. Mine.

There isn't a lot more that I could actually ask for and receive at the moment.

______________________________________________________________________________

My alarm clock went off before I actually got any sleep. I groaned, slamming my fist on it, shutting it up. I shifted a little, and felt an unfamiliar weight on top of me. Cracking my tired eyes open slightly, I glanced down.

Bones was curled up right on top of me, her arm splayed over my chest, her head resting in the crook of my neck. She had hooked one of her legs across both of mine. I smiled at her sleeping form and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

I snuck a peek at the alarm clock. Six in the morning, the time I usually go for my morning run. I really wasn't in the mood today. I'd rather just go back to sleep.

I started to drift off, but then I felt Bones move. I opened my eyes again and watched her stir, and wake up. She looked confused for a moment, then smiled when she saw me. "Morning," she mumbled, dropping her head back on my shoulder.

I wrapped my arm around her waist, and pulled her snug against me. "Morning."

Bones lifted herself up a little and looked at my alarm clock. She gasped. "Six?" She looked at me for confirmation. "I'm late!"

I frowned. "Bones, how can you be late when it's six in the morning?" I groaned as she climbed over me to climb off the bed.

"I usually get in at seven," she explained, scrambling to get to the bathroom.

"Seven?" I yelped.

"Booth, you don't have to wake up. I'm just leaving early."

I shook my head at her. "You don't even have your car with you," I reminded her. I let my head drop back on the pillow. Great. Now I have to wake up, so I could drive Bones to her place.

"I'll just call a cab, Booth, it's not a problem."

I watched her leave my room and heard her padding down the hallway to the bathroom. My eyes were wide open now, and I couldn't go back to sleep even if I tried.

All the things Rebecca had said to me had come back full force, reminding me that Parker would be leaving today for an entire week. I knew I was probably overreacting, but Rebecca should at least have the decency to tell me earlier. It wasn't as if she and Brent decided last minute last night to up and go to Utah. They must have had to ask for a leave from work, they had to have discussed it at least a week beforehand.

And though I knew it wasn't much, Parker and I usually talk on the phone every night. He tells me the things that happen in school, and I tell him goodnight before he has to go off the phone. I don't know if I can do that every night if he's in Utah-I don't think Rebecca and Brent will like that very much.

I hated that Brent was a part of Parker's life. This strange man was seeing my son grow up everyday and I'm not even sitting at the sidelines it seems.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes as I climbed off the bed. I might as well get to work if I'm going to be obsessing over this. Maybe I could call Parker before he leaves with them.

I went out the door to find Bones. She was still in the bathroom, so I went into the living room and picked up the phone.

Rebecca had said that they would be hitting the road at seven sharp. Their flight leaves at eight thirty. I don't know if Parker was even up, since it's so early, but if they're leaving in an hour, I expect Rebecca would have him half-awake, getting ready.

"Hello?" I heard Brent's voice answer the phone.

Trying not to let my anger show, I spoke calmly, "Hey, Brent. Is Parker awake? I wanted to say goodbye before you hit the road."

I heard some shuffling noises before Brent spoke again. "Uh, yeah, he is. Hold on a sec."

"Daddy?"

I smiled. "Parks. You all set to go?" I asked cheerily. There was no point in sounding upset, especially in front of Parker. I knew he was already reluctant to go, I didn't want to create trouble and have Rebecca accuse me of putting ideas in Parker's mind. Not that I would do that. Intentionally.

"No," he answered sourly. "Can't I just stay with you and Dr. Bones?"

I laughed a little. I don't think the fact that Bones wasn't actually living with me-yet-registered with him. "Sorry, bub. I wish you could-" Was that saying too much? "But your mom really wants you to go to Utah. It'll be fine, bub. Once you get home, I'll take you out for pizza and ice- cream, how's that sound?"

Bones came out of the bathroom, and came into the living room. She saw me on the phone and gestured with her hands, wanting to know who it is. I mouthed the word 'Parker' to her. She nodded her head, eyes wide, and sat on the couch next to me. I smiled at her, grateful for her comfort.

Parker sighed on the other end. "Okay, I guess. I just don't wanna go. I don't know nobody there." I heard him pause on the other end, and was about to assure him again when he spoke in a whisper. "If you bring Dr. Bones, then mommy would think that you're working, so you can stay."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Parks, your mom will know I'm lying. And what'd I say about lying to other people?"

"Don't do it?"

I smiled a little. "Yeah. It's not very nice. Listen, Parks. Everything will be okay. It's only for a week. And I'll see you when you get back, okay?"

"Okay…Is Dr. Bones there?"

"Yeah, she is. You wanna talk to her?"

"Yeah!"

I grinned at Bones, and handed her the phone. Her eyes went wider, and she whispered, "Me?" I nodded my head at her, and she took the phone, her skin a little flushed pink. I watched as she talked on the phone, and almost sighed contentedly. I was so glad that Bones and Parker were bonding. I think Parker regarded her as a friend, or someone he could turn to. I saw the way they were around each other, and I'm glad Bones cared for him.

I know she thinks she isn't good with children, but with Parker? She's a natural.

"Of course I'll come with you to get pizza and ice-cream," she said, looking at me to make sure it's fine. I nodded my head again and kissed her forehead. "As long as there's a salad bar." I snorted. Typical Bones.

"I'll miss you too, Parker. I'll just pass the phone to-oh, hi…" Suddenly, Bones looked uncomfortable. "No, I was just…Talking. Um, sure, hold on," she passed the phone to me, and I looked at her quizzically. 'Rebecca', she mouthed to me.

I nodded my head solemnly and tried not to grimace. Bones didn't need to know that Rebecca was less than enthusiastic of the idea of Parker knowing her like this. I took the phone and stood up, pacing. "Rebecca?"

"What the hell, Seeley? You call here at six in the damn morning so _she_ could talk to my son?"

I rolled my eyes. Why on earth was she so paranoid over this? It's not as if I was letting Parker talk to a serial killer, I was letting him talk to Bones, for God's sake. "No, Rebecca, I called at six in the damn morning so _I_ could talk to _my_ son before you and Captain Fantastic take him for a week outside DC. Is that so wrong?"

The moment my little tirade ended, I knew I'd made a mistake. Calling her boyfriend that nickname just riled her up even more. "I don't have time for this!" Rebecca snapped. "We have to get going soon. We'll talk about this once we get back. And, Seeley? Think very carefully about your partner being involved in our son's life."

"And why is that?"

"I don't like it."

I clenched my hand into a fist, looking around for something to punch. I settled for the wall. "And just because you don't like it, I'm supposed to oblige?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"You know what? I don't have to let you see him, Seeley. I allow it. For now. So just think about it."

Rebecca hung up on me, and I stared at the phone incredulously.

What the hell was I supposed to do now? Parker means the world to me, and so do Bones. But this, this goes beyond me, beyond Rebecca, and beyond Brent. This had everything to do with Parker, not us.

She'd already taken away his father from him most of the time, now she was going to take away his friend, too? Would Parker actually be okay with that?

And what do I tell Bones? That I love her, but I can't allow her anywhere near my son?

I sighed heavily, and dropped down on the couch. Throwing the phone as far away from me as possible, I cradled my head in my hands and shut my eyes tightly. This was getting far more complicated than I thought it would.

_What do you think? I know we don't really get to see a lot of Rebecca on the show, but she's always threatening Booth, even from the very first time we hear of Parker, in the first Christmas episode. He had to plead with her to see his son. So I thought her as a 'villain' suited the story. I don't know to what extent she'll go to, though. She's acting very bitchy, but I'll explain in a few chapters why. She has a good reason._

_BTW, thanks for the reviews. And thanks msu for mentioning the Drew is not Captain Fantastic thing. I just wasn't sure at the time I wrote._

_Read and review, everyone._


	8. Manic Monday

_**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I hope this one doesn't suck as well._

_**Disclaimer:** Nope._

_**POV:** T. Brennan, S. Booth, Angela M. (ooh, are we excited??)_

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_T. Brennan's POV_

"_Booth_!" I shrieked, pounding my fist half heartedly on his chest in a vain attempt to get away from him. We had been in my apartment for the past hour and a half-if I thought I was late before, I was definitely suspiciously late now. God, if Angela found out…She would kill me for not calling her the very moment our first kiss happened.

Booth had driven me home a while after Rebecca had called, and while I'd taken my shower and changed for work, he'd bustled around the kitchen making breakfast. I told him he didn't need to do that-we could have just gone to the Royal Diner to get something. Booth had insisted, saying that it helps him get his mind off things.

I had changed into one of my usual work outfits. A pair of jeans and a green top. When I came out of my room, Booth was chowing down on a stack of pancakes, flipping through a magazine. "You know, Bones, if you don't get a TV soon, I'll just buy you one," he grumbled, tossing the magazine aside when he saw I was there.

I snuck a look at it. Antiquity: Anthropological Science. I grinned. "Not your cup of coffee, huh, Booth?"

He shook his head at me. "Tea, Bones."

"You drink tea?"

"No, I meant the phrase. It's 'not your cup of tea', not 'not your cup of coffee'."

"You're starting to confuse me."

Booth pretended to grumble and pushed a plate of pancakes my way. I shot him a mock glare as I sat down and begun eating. "I'm going to be two hundred pounds if you keep feeding me like this," I warned him.

Booth smiled at me, walking around the table to where I was sitting. He hugged me from behind, "I'll still find you beautiful, even if you weigh two hundred pounds."

I was about to tell him that it wasn't common for men to lose interest in their partners after a major body image change-especially a bad one, like gaining a ton of weight-and either breaking it off or having an affair. But Booth had other plans.

He turned his head and pressed his lips softly to my neck. I gasped, and my eyes drifted close. I gripped the edge of the table with my hands. Booth planted little kisses down my neck, then tugged me into a standing position. He turned me around so that we were facing one another. I glanced up into his eyes, noting that it had darkened with desire. It was enough to make the blood underneath my skin boil, to make my body temperature rise.

"Booth…" I whispered, but he silenced me with his lips. His mouth attacked mine feverishly, and he moved us backwards so that I was pressed against the wall behind him. I was feeling a million things at once. Have I ever had a kiss like this? With anyone other than Booth?

"Mmph," Booth made a non-committal noise, deepening the kiss even more. He wedged his leg between mine, and pressed our bodies closer together. I think I gave out a half sigh, half moan at this point.

I pulled back slightly, to tell him that I really needed to get to work. We had to go to work, and face everybody, and act as if nothing has happened. Booth moved his lips down to my throat, gently nibbling as he went. His hands slipped under my shirt, and I felt him drawing circles on my skin, his fingers softly brushing and sending tingles all over my body.

"_Booth_!"

He sighed, and pulled away. He was still cradling me, still pressing me to the wall. I could feel the warmth that radiated from his hands as they stroked my bare skin, not stopping even as his lips stilled. "Come on, Bones," he grinned at me. "Can't we be late for once?"

"Don't use your charm smile on me," I teased, poking him lightly in the chest.

"This is early for normal people, Bones. Way too early," he told me, shaking his head. He was still refusing to let me go.

I ran my hand through his hair, and smiled deviously at him. "We'll have to be responsible, Booth. Be on time for as long as we can."

He looked at me, confused. "Why?"

I leaned in to catch his earlobe between my teeth, sucking gently. I released it, and whispered into his ear, "Because once you and I make love, I'm pretty sure we'll be late every day."

Booth groaned and pushed me further into him. I laughed. Well, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind for right now, but I'll take it. Then his eyes lit up. "_Make love_, Bones? I thought you said sex is just sex?"

I shrugged, running a finger down the side of his neck. "I'm hoping you would show me what it's like," I smiled.

His eyes darkened further, and I could feel his arousal pressing into my thighs. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone rang. Booth jumped, startled by the sudden noise, and I used this as an opportunity to slip under his arm and escape his hold on me. I dashed to the living room and picked up the phone.

"Sweetie?" I froze. Oh, no. Angela!

"Ange?" I asked tentatively, biting my lip nervously.

"Sweetie, where were you?" Was that suspicion I heard in her voice?

"What do you mean?" _Good one, Tempe. Stall until you're backed into a corner with nowhere to hide_.

"I've been calling you all weekend," Angela told me. Her voice was so laden with suspicion that I could practically see her with her eyes narrowed to slits, her face calculating, her mind turning over every possible reason for my absence.

"Sorry, Ange. I was just…Busy."

"So busy that you're not here at the Jeffersonian?" she teased.

Her voice had gotten light, cheery. That means she's onto me. She might not suspect it had anything to do with Booth, but she's factored in a man for my behavior. Oh, God. "Why are _you _at the Jeffersonian at this time?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "You don't normally come in until nine."

"You mean the normal people hour? Yeah, but I had a dilemma, and I needed to talk to you about it. I couldn't reach you over the weekend, so I thought I'd come by early and see whose bones you were picking apart. Apparently, you're too busy with a man…"

"What man? Angela, you're just guessing things now, and you're not even close," I said. It would have worked a little better if my voice hadn't wavered.

_And_ if Booth hadn't decided to come up behind me to wrap his arms around me, and attack the side of my neck with his lips.

I held the phone away from me and pressed it against my shoulder to muffle my voice. I turned to Booth, and glared. "Booth!" I hissed, my voice low. "_Angela's _on the phone. Stop!"

I tried to push him away but he just chuckled and slipped a hand under the hem of my shirt, trailing his fingers up my stomach, my ribs…I gasped, and swatted his hand away. Booth chuckled again.

"Okay, that was definitely a man!" Angela was squealing by now.

I groaned, dropping my head in resignation. "Would you believe me if I said it was the TV?"

"I would, if you actually _had _a TV."

"Right."

Her voice adopted a mischievous tone. "So, tell me. Is it our very own FB-eye candy?"

Booth was growing impatient. He spun me around, and gripped me tightly around the waist with one arm. His free hand brushed my hair from my face and tipped my face to his, holding me to him. He brought his lips to mine and kissed me. I felt the fury of our passion building up in me, and wanted nothing more than to be his, completely, forgetting anyone else in the world even existed. I wanted to protest again, and he must have sensed that. He captured my bottom lip between his and sucked gently on it. My eyes fluttered close. He knew just how to drive me crazy.

"Bren? Are you still there?" Angela's amused voice floated into my ear, and my eyes snapped open. There was no way I could lie to Angela while Booth was doing this to me. She was too good, she would figure it out. Besides, I was this close to yelling out Booth's name.

"Know what?" I gasped. "I'll just talk to you later!" I clicked off the phone and threw it on the couch.

Booth smiled against my neck as he nibbled. "You're killing me," I whispered.

"That wasn't my intention."

******************************************************************************

_Angela M.'s POV_

I sighed as I stepped into the walls of the Jeffersonian. I'd left Jack to his sleep, and told him I'd be at work to talk to Brennan, and I think he heard me. He'd mumbled something incoherent as I left the room…He'll call if he panics when he wakes up.

I'd been unable to reach Brennan all through the weekend. I was far from surprised. She'd been talking about writing some new chapters for her book, and when that happens, she's pretty much unreachable. I had gotten the hint that she wanted to be left alone, so I hadn't gone to her place. I didn't want to disturb her creative process. It seemed like she'd been stressing over her book lately anyway. I didn't want to add to that.

But she would be at the Jeffersonian, either in her office or in Limbo, bright and early on Monday, so I'd gotten up earlier than I had in years and stumbled halfway across town. I checked the platform-she wasn't there, working on some Jane Doe. I take it to mean that the FBI hadn't given us a new case this week. Not a surprise-I doubted the FBI was even awake at this point.

I checked Brennan's office, and it was empty. I rolled my eyes. She was in Limbo, then. Figures. Only Brennan would be here at seven thirty in the morning, working on an unidentified Civil War remains.

Walking into Limbo, I frowned. It was completely empty. I walked slowly back to Brennan's office. Don't tell me she's actually…Not here? I flopped down ungracefully on her couch and pulled out my cell phone. Flipping it open, I pressed her number on speed dial.

She picked up after the fourth ring. "Sweetie?" This was the first time she answered in two days. If she was awake, why wasn't she here?

"Ange?"

"Sweetie, where were you?" I narrowed my eyes into slits as I considered this. Brennan wasn't answering her phone for two days. And now she's up, but she's nowhere near the Jeffersonian? She was late, by her standards. That could only mean one thing…My eyes lit up, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from squealing out in excitement. Brennan found herself a new man.

"What do you mean?"

_Oh, you know exactly what I mean, you sneaky, stalling, been-having-sex-for-the-past-two-days fox_! "I've been calling you all weekend."

"Sorry, Ange. I've been…Busy." _Yeah, I'll bet_. I didn't fail to notice her hesitation at mentioning what she'd been up to this weekend. _I'm so good, the FBI should hire me_.

I was fighting hard not to start jumping around. Brennan had been alone for long enough. Ever since Sully left, she hadn't been in a long term relationship. I hardly doubted she even batted an eye at a man. Then the thing with Booth, and his crazed stalker…

Wait, could it be Booth? The two of them have been closer than ever, and if I say so myself, the sparks have been flying higher now than before. If that was even possible. They're both single as far as I know…Could they have actually crossed their damned line and confessed their love? I almost sighed just thinking of how it could have happened.

"So busy that you're not here at the Jeffersonian?" I couldn't help but tease. Brennan was good at everything but lying to me. Especially when it came to relationships. I see right through her. It's why I'm her best friend. Or, so I choose to believe.

Brennan's voice took on a defensive edge, "Why are _you _at the Jeffersonian at this time? You don't normally come in until nine."

_Yeah, nice try, Bren, but I'm not letting you change the subject. No way are you getting off the hook on this one_. "You mean the normal people hour? Yeah, but I had a dilemma, and I needed to talk to you about it. I couldn't reach you over the weekend, so I thought I'd come by early and see whose bones you were picking apart. Apparently, you're too busy with a man…"

Her voice rose a pitch higher, and it was all I could do not to laugh. "What man!? Angela, you're just guessing things now, and you're not even close," she said dismissively, her voice getting that scientific tone that I wouldn't care to hear so early in the morning.

I was about to tell her not to try and deny it, because I'm Angela. I know everything. I paused, my mouth hanging open from my attempt at speech. I heard something that sounded like Brennan gasping, then someone chuckling.

I couldn't contain it any longer. "Okay, that was _definitely _a man!" And gee, I wonder why that chuckle sounded so familiar…Was it probably because we hear it all the time at the Jeffersonian, more specifically whenever the FBI send us a case?

"Would you believe me if I said it was the TV?" Brennan groaned.

I smirked. "I would, if you actually had a TV."

"Right."

I smiled wider. This was her way of admitting that she was, in fact, with a man right now. Not that she could actually deny it much longer. I just needed her to admit to one other tiny little thing. "So tell me," I fought back a giggle. "Is it our very own FB-eye candy?"

I heard Brennan gasp again, and raised my eyebrows. Did I interrupt them going at it, hot and heavy? God I hope so.

I waited for Brennan to speak, but she didn't. I could hear some very interesting sounds in the background, though…

"Bren? Are you still there?"

"Know what? I'll just talk to you later!" Brennan told me, her words rushed, her voice was lower, breathier.

Before I could say anything, the line went dead. I threw my head back and laughed. Oh, this was just too good…Brennan with a man-which I'm positive is Booth. Now why couldn't she just tell me that? Maybe she doesn't want anyone to know…Hmm.

I sat back and crossed my legs, thinking. If Booth and Brennan really are together, then they'd be a little different around each other. Normal people wouldn't notice these things, but I, on the other hand, am a different matter. I'm made for this!

And once I do find those little slip-ups, I'm sure going to create hell for them until they confess. I smiled deviously, glancing around the empty room.

******************************************************************************

I pulled into the parking lot of the Hoover Building, killing the engine. Snatching the keys from the ignition, I tucked them in my pocked and slammed the door as I ran up the building. I had ended up being a half hour late myself. Bones had grumbled, saying she'll attract attention going to work at nine thirty instead of six like usual. I told her it was due time she was late for work. She had laughed, and we'd taken our separate cars.

Bones had wanted more time with just us, alone. That means not revealing to anyone for time being that we're together. I liked that idea. We haven't really found our footing with this more-than-partners-more-than-friends relationship. It was completely new territory. We haven't really established much yet.

I haven't taken her out on a date. I haven't made love to her. I haven't told her how completely in love I am with her.

We need more time alone. Just Booth and Bones.

I stepped into the elevator and waited impatiently for it to reached my floor. I was actually hoping that I'd get a case so that I could go see Bones. "Cullen wants to see you," Charlie told me the moment I stepped around the corner.

I nodded and went to Cullen's office. I'm hoping this has something to do with a case.

"You're late," he said without even looking up.

"I overslept, sir," I said automatically.

"Uh-huh. I've '_overslept_' plenty of times, too, Booth. Difference is, I'm the boss," he said, looking up at me. I expected to see anger or irritation, instead, I see amusement.

And a little of irritation.

"We've got another one," he told me, waving a file in front of him. I took it. "Remains were found in Virginia last night. In a town called Winchester. The local police said it was beyond recognition. You and Dr. Brennan should go down there. I expect frequent reports."

I nodded my head, trying my best not to smile. It wasn't all that hard-all I had to do was think about the dead person.

But time outside DC with Bones? I know we'll be busy working. She'll be wrapped up in identifying the remains, and I would be busy investigating the case. But still.

It's just Booth and Bones.

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_Angela M.'s POV_

"Bones! We've got a case!"

I watched Booth swipe his card and rush up the steps to the platform. Brennan straightened up at the sound of his voice and watched him approach, ignoring the remains on the table she had been so engrossed in just moments ago. I saw her lips twitch, as if she was fighting back a smile.

"Where?" she asked, taking off the gloves on her hands and throwing them in the disposal.

"Virginia."

I raised my eyebrows. "Wait. You two are going outside of DC? Alone? Together?" I grinned. _Oh, Cullen was _good.

"It's a case, Ange," Brennan told me in a chiding tone, as if she was talking to a small child. I just raised my eyebrows at them suggestively.

Booth rolled his eyes and tilted his head to one side, signaling to Brennan that they should go. "I'll just get my kit," she said, walking down the steps to head to her office. Booth followed, his hand at its usual place at the small of her back.

I pretended to be working on my sketch as I watched them. I was too far away to actually hear what they were saying, but I could still see them. I moved slightly, discreetly, so that I would be able to have a better view of Brennan's office.

Brennan was rushing around her office, straightening out a few things, grabbing her coat, and checking her kit. Booth was standing near her desk, the case file open in his hands. I could see his lips moving as he read her the details for their new case.

I was about to give in. Maybe I'd read the signals wrong. Maybe it wasn't Booth and Brennan together. Maybe she was with another guy. Disappointment sunk in. Brennan doesn't know what she's missing. No other guy would treat her the way Booth would, the way Booth does. If he's so gentle, so caring, with her when they're just friends, what would happen when they're actually together?

I shivered at the thought. Brennan belongs with Booth.

I watched them for a little while. My eyes widened. Booth had walked right up to Brennan and helped her with her coat. He had tugged on the front of her coat slightly and she'd smiled up at him. This was different-she would have moved back the way he's standing so close. Even with Booth, Brennan normally has reservations. It's just the way she is.

Booth looked past the door for a moment, to check if anyone's looking. He didn't see me. He leaned down and kissed Brennan. I watched in amazement as she didn't pull back or kick him in the groin. In fact, and I can't tell this for sure, she kissed him back!

They pulled away after a few seconds. It was a short kiss. But both of them were glowing, smiling at each other.

My head snapped back to my sketch book as they came out of their office. I bit my lip to hide my smile. "Have fun," I sang out as Booth and Brennan made their way out of the Jeffersonian.

Brennan shot me a look, but I just smiled back. I watched them leave. The rest were still oblivious to this. I pressed the sketch book to my mouth, to keep myself from squealing out loud.

This was a very, very good thing. And proof that what I suspected was true.

Now, all I had to do was make them admit it.

Hmm…Wonder what they'll do in Virginia…

"Come on, Jack. Let's take an unofficial break," I said to my fiancé, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards my office.

_Sorry it took so long to post this. Had my final exam today. I know this chapter doesn't have any Parker in it, but his name is in the title for a reason. I love the kid, so more of him to come. I just thought BB need time alone, and what better time than when Parker is out of town with Rebecca and Captain Fantastic?_

_P.S. I have no idea what Virginia is like, or if it has towns, or if there's a town there called Winchester. Basically, that's just completely made up. The town, how it's like, the people...All purely fictional._

_I hope this was good. Read and review, will you?? Thanks!!!_


	9. Virginia Is For Lovers

_**A/N:** Sorry I didn't update sooner, guys. It's my b'day today. Not a b'day celebration kind of gal, but I like the peace & quiet just the same. I hope this chapter makes up for it._

_**Disclaimer:** Still not mine._

_**POVs: **T. Brennan._

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_T. Brennan's POV_

Our trip to Virginia was like any other trip we've been on. We argue, and Booth gets mad, then we keep to ourselves for a while as he fidgets around with the radio and I try to concentrate on the case file, then we start up again, usually because of Booth's alpha male side.

This time, though, even I couldn't deny there was something different in the way we interact with one another. I just hope to God we don't show it this blatantly at the lab. Angela, of all people, would see it in an instant.

Every once in a while, Booth would reach out and squeeze my knee, or I would brush his hair back with my hand. We smile in the middle of a heated argument. We kiss when we make up. It was just so surreal, in the most perfect way possible.

I almost rolled my eyes at myself-what a cheesy way to put things. Let's all thank God Booth can't read minds.

"What are you thinking about, Bones?" Booth asked, startling me out of my thoughts. Ugh, intuitive, though. "Me, I hope."

I glanced at him only to find him giving me one of those patented charm smiles of his. "Not even close, Booth. I was just thinking about the case," I scoffed, defending myself.

"So you get a goofy look on your face every time you think about rotting corpses?" he chuckled.

My mouth hung open, and I stared at him. "I did _not _have a goofy look on my face, Booth!" I scowled.

"Yes, you did."

I glared at him, and stuck the file in front of my face, ignoring him completely. The car rolled to a stop, and I frowned. Why were we stopping? Booth pulled the file from me, and smiled. "I liked it."

"What?" I asked warily.

"That goofy look. I liked it," he explained simply. I flushed, so I tried to hide it by slapping his arm and scowling playfully at him. Booth knew, though. He always knows. So he smiled and leaned forward, and kissed me softly.

I groaned when he pulled back, reaching out to grab him by his lapels and pulling him closer to me. Booth chuckled at my enthusiasm. "Not right now, Bones," he whispered. "We're here."

I started and looked out the window. We were at Chesapeake Bay, the yellow tape and the police officers already making up the crime scene. I sighed. For once, I wasn't happy we were out on the field. I wanted time alone with Booth, no rotting corpses, no skeletons, no policemen. _No Angela_, I added with a grimace, remembering the last time she interrupted us. Unknowingly, of course.

"Let's go," I grumbled, unbuckling my seat belt and climbing out of the car, Booth right behind me.

******************************************************************************

I groaned as I laid down on my bed, head throbbing. We had spent the entire day out. First I'd gone to identify as much as possible from the remains-sex, age, race, that sort of thing. Booth needed this to carry on his investigation.

Then Booth had gotten all alpha male on a bumbling local police man. Not that it would really do any good to snap at the locals. Booth and I had gotten into an argument about that. It would be irrational of him to start being possessive every time someone tries to flirt with me. Just because we're in a relationship now doesn't give him the right to jeopardize our case. He'd gotten mad at me for saying that, and left me at the hotel, while I waited for Zack, Hodgins and Angela to give me more once the body had been sent to the Jeffersonian.

He'd gone to interview the locals-the teenagers that found the body at the sight, some of the officers who were early…He said he even talked to a guy who came rushing to the bay in hysterics, screaming that it was his missing girlfriend.

After Angela had finally hung up and I'd closed my lap top, Booth had wrapped his arms around me and kissed me gently. "I'm sorry," he'd said. "You were right."

"I always am."

Booth had laughed, then gotten this serious look in his eyes. Very rarely have I seen this look, this tender expression on his face. I saw it whenever he talks about Parker. "I do get possessive. It's just because I can't lose you. I hope you understand that."

I do understand, though I didn't tell him that. I think he knew, because I didn't argue with him.

We had gone for a late lunch, then Angela had called in with an ID. We'd gone to inform the family, and interview a few of the people the vic, Dannii Marsden, was close to, or had contact with in the few weeks before her death.

That had taken us all over the town, and nowhere close to solving her murder. Some of the locals were mildly helpful, but others clammed up completely.

We'd gone back to our hotel room, and now I'm waiting while Booth showers, and for the Chinese delivery guy.

The doorbell rang and I jumped up, dashing to the door. I know Booth would give me another lecture about not looking in the peeping hole before opening the door, but come on, if it was an intruder, wouldn't it be better if I were to just face it head on and knock him or her out so Booth could cuff them and interrogate?

It turned out to be the delivery guy so I took the box full of Chinese take-out and paid him, slamming the door in his face. I was too hungry to care about formalities. I hadn't eaten anything for hours-it was past midnight now.

Booth came out of the shower, clad in his pajama pants, a towel hung around his shoulders. Chinese take-out momentarily forgotten, I stared at him. Booth smirked at me, gaping at him from across the room. "Cat got your tongue, Bones?" he chuckled.

I frowned at him, tilting my head to the side, trying to decipher what he meant. "What cat?" I asked. "How can a cat get my tongue?"

Booth rolled his eyes, sitting down on the floor, patting the floor beside him. "Should've known better than to use metaphors around you by now," he muttered, shaking his head. I sat next to him and he grinned, leaning towards me to grab a take-out box.

His naked chest came into contact with my bare arms, and I felt goose bumps. His brown eyes were burning into me, looking at me with an intensity I wasn't sure was possible. His lips was barely an inch away from me. I sucked in my breath, but all he did was lean back.

I pouted at him as he continued to smile deviously, grabbing a chopstick and starting to eat. "Booth, that's mean," I told him, taking my own take-out box.

"Sorry, Bones. You were the one who told me not to let our relationship get in the way of our case," he pointed his chopstick at me.

"I didn't mean when we're in the privacy of our hotel room," I grumbled under my breath.

Booth snorted, taking the remote and turning on the TV. Then he stopped and looked at me seriously. "Is that what we have? A relationship?" he asked me.

I bit my lip, considering his words. "Well," I said slowly. "We're partners, and friends, and now…More."

Booth nodded his head, waiting for me to continue. When I didn't, he rolled his eyes. "I already know that, Bones. What I want to know is if we're in a relationship."

"Booth, there are several versions of a relationship. Technically, the word relationship is defined as-"

"Okay, I meant, are we together. Like boyfriend, and girlfriend. Like, I sleep over at yours sometimes and you make me mac and cheese, and you sleep over at mine sometimes and I make you spaghetti and pancakes."

I frowned. "Spaghetti and pancakes? Not together, I hope."

"Bones," Booth grumbled.

I broke out into a smile. He really was adorable when he was frustrated. "Yes, Booth, I think we are in that sort of a relationship now, though our dynamics as partners and friends are not going to change."

Booth grinned at me, and nodded his head. Cupping my cheek in one hand, he leaned closer and pressed his lips on mine. "Good then," he mumbled against my lips, still kissing me. My stomach grumbled, so I poked at his chest, wanting to eat before…Well, just wanting to eat.

I buried my face behind the take-out box, desperately wanting to hide the blush creeping on my cheeks.

"I still think we should have gotten separate rooms," I told him. Booth glanced at me. "Angela will get the wrong idea once she finds out," I explained.

His forehead smoothed back as he smiled. "We've got two beds, Bones. Besides, I won't mention it," he promised, slinging an arm around my shoulders and pressing a light kiss on my hair.

He was quiet for a moment, watching the show about a man who practices plastic surgery on people. I couldn't really understand all of it, but when I turned to ask Booth, he was staring absently at the wall beside the TV.

I nudged him gently. "Hey, Booth," I whispered. He blinked, as if confused as to where he was or who called him. He snapped his head towards me, then smiled slowly. I could see the conflict in his eyes, though, and understood. "You miss Parker, huh?"

He looked surprised for a moment, and didn't answer me. I wondered if I should have asked him at all. "Yeah, I do," he said, voice raw with emotion. I realized that he hadn't gotten a chance to call Parker today, because of our case. We'd gotten back to the hotel way past eleven, it was too late for him to call.

"You'll see him in a few days, Booth," I said softly, running my fingers through his hair. "I'm still sorry Rebecca took him away so early."

Booth shook his head. "I just…I want more time with him. He's growing up, Bones. And soon, I'm just afraid he'll forget about me. I'm afraid he'll want more to do with Captain Fantastic and Rebecca, than with me."

I didn't miss the way he said Captain Fantastic's name first. Well, it was more of a nickname, but… "Is that what this is about, Booth? Afraid that he'll take your place as Parker's dad?"

Booth shrugged half-heartedly, not even meeting my eyes. "Booth," I shook my head. "You don't even know…Parker loves you. He didn't want to go to Utah. He wanted to stay with you, wanted us to go with them. Don't you see how much he wants to be with you?"

He raised his head and half smiled at me. "It doesn't change the fact that I'm not there. I'm never really there for him, Bones. I coach him sometimes, and I teach him sports. But I'm not there for everything else. When he's scared at night, or if he has a problem at school, of when he gets a good grade, or when he falls down. I'm not there for these things, and it…" He shook his head again. "It's just not okay."

I stroked his cheek with the back of my hand softly. "You're his hero, Booth," I assured him. "Talk to Rebecca when she gets home. As awful as she's being, Booth, she knows you're a good father. She'll know why you want to spend more time with your own son. Reason with her, logic always wins."

Booth laughed at that, and took my hand from his face, bringing it to his lips, and kissing it. "Thanks, Bones," he whispered. "I needed to hear that."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "That logic always wins? That's common knowledge, Booth."

Booth grinned, "Thank God you're smart, Temperance."

I felt a shiver run down my spine at the use of my first name. Booth doesn't do that often. It's a little strange to hear it from him because I'm incredibly familiar with the usage of 'Bones', but it's still a pleasure all the same.

We had finished our dinner, and Booth and I were cleaning up. I piled everything on the brown cardboard box and placed it on the table at the far end of the room. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, washing my face, before heading back into the room.

Booth was turning off the TV, and smiled at me as he moved past me into the bathroom. I took the bed on the right. Our beds were separated by a bedside table.

My laptop was on it, so I grabbed it and scrolled down, looking at the details of Zach's findings he had e-mailed to me. I'll have to have a video call with the lab tomorrow morning to discuss it with Zach and Hodgins.

I just hope I could avoid Angela until we get back from Virginia. I expect her to grill me for details on our trip, but it was a lot harder to lie to her with Booth just a few feet from me. I'd learnt that lesson back at my apartment.

Booth came out from the bathroom, and I glanced up at him briefly before returning to scrutinizing the screen before me. I expected him to just start snoring, the way he always did. He surprised me by climbing in next to me on my bed. I jumped, startled. "Booth, what are you doing?" I asked, watching half in confusion and half in irritation as he tugged the laptop from my hands and placed it on the bedside table.

He smiled, pulling me further down on the bed so I was lying down beneath him. "I am going to bed, why?" he asked innocently.

I swatted at his shoulder. "We're supposed to be sleeping on separate beds," I reminded him, trying to keep my voice from trembling. It was extremely hard the way he was right now. He was still shirtless, still grinning down at me with a maniacal glint in his eyes.

"Ah, but that's only the official story," he whispered, leaning down to nibble on my collarbone. I gasped, arching towards him without even thinking.

"Booth, you've been hanging around Hodgins for too long," I murmured, trying to regain some semblance of rationality.

Booth laughed, and started to bite gently, then lick at the spot, all the way up my throat. "Not a chance," he spoke against my skin, causing tremors.

"The…Case," I managed to choke out.

"Tomorrow," he grunted.

"But…"

Booth sighed, and pulled back. "You know what people in relationships such as ours, that is to say, couples, do at night, Bones? They don't talk about work, or corpses, or skeletons, or murderers," he told me, smirking slightly.

I concentrated on the feel of his hands running down the side of my body. It felt good, warm. I looked up into his eyes, and smiled slowly. I leaned up and trapped his bottom lip in mine, sucking, then running my hand down his bare chest, my nails scraping lightly. I pulled back, and saw that his brown eyes had darkened. "Then what _do_ they do, Booth?" I asked, my voice low.

Booth groaned and, pinning me to the bed, captured my lips with his and kissed me hungrily. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gratefully accepted his affections.

_Alright, not a lot of smut or action, but I just thought we could use a little BB cuteness. If that's what it is. Tell me what you think, and be kind. Read and review!!!_


	10. Conspiracies

_**A/N: **__And to make up for my disappearance yesterday, here's another chapter. See how remorseful I am? Take pity and review._

_**Disclaimer: **__As much as I want it, it's still not mine._

_**POVs: **__T. Brennan, Angela M._

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_T. Brennan's POV_

_Two days later_

I woke up to the sound of a beeping. I frowned. What was that annoying noise? Booth mumbled something incoherent and pulled me tighter to him in his sleep. I smiled, closing my eyes and snuggling up to him. Who cared about the noise, I wanted to sleep in a little more.

We had exhausted all our clues, and we had gone nowhere near solving the case. Our main suspect, Dannii Marsden, had a boyfriend, John Marcowski. Booth had a strong "gut feeling" that he was the guy, and even I was irked by the fact that his sorrow at the news of his girlfriend's death seemed insincere. He had barely been shaken up by it.

But he claimed to have an alibi, and his story checked out. I couldn't find anything else without the bones, and Angela, Zach, Hodgins and Cam were doing their best back at the lab.

Booth couldn't arrest him for being unfeeling, like I wanted him to.

The noise persisted, and I groaned, burying my head in the crook of Booth's shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut in an attempt to smother it out.

It worked, for only a minute.

My phone started to ring. I sighed, giving up. Whoever it was that was trying to reach me must have urgent news. Urgent news? My eyes flew open. Maybe it's related to the case. I sat up as much as Booth's arm slung around my stomach and my arm would allow me.

"Ow," I complained, falling back to the bed without success. "Booth, get off. My phone's ringing," I prodded him gently in the stomach.

He groaned, cracking an eye open and glaring at me. "It's six thirty in the morning, Bones," he rasped.

I giggled at his voice and that only served to make him even more agitated. He reached and took my phone off the bedside table without much effort and flipped it open.

"Dr. Brennan can't come to the phone right now because it's six thirty in the morning, and although she's normally not a very normal person, she's complying with the very human rule that no one wakes up at six thirty right now. Leave a message, and she'll call you back," he threw the phone on the other bed, and dropped back on the bed, half lying on me.

I was torn between laughing and being mad. Who knew Booth was so grumpy in the morning? I opted for glaring. "Booth, that could have been the lab!" He didn't budge.

My phone started to ring again and I struggled to get up without any avail. "I swear, Booth. I'll kick you to the wall if you don't get off me right now," I warned, trying to keep my laughter from my voice.

It must have worked because Booth groaned again and rolled off of me. I scrambled off the bed, and snatched my phone up. "Dr. Brennan," I said breathlessly, without checking the ID first.

"Sound a little out of breath there, sweetie. Am I interrupting something?"

Angela. I winced. Why does she have a habit of catching me at the worst of times? Was this really just bad timing or one of her intuitions?

"Yeah, well, Booth threw my phone so…" There was a pause and I swear I heard her giggle. Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "Ange, why are you calling me at six thirty? You don't even wake up this early…"

"You told us to work on the case, so we're working on the case," she said simply. "Hodgins got all excited, said he found something that could identify your killer…Hey, Bren? Why did Booth answer your phone?"

"He was the closest to it. Did it have anything to do with the particulates on the victim's clothes? I thought Hodgins already analyzed that."

"No, it's on the bottom of her shoes. He said it was pretty specific. Then he went on jabbering about some thing or the other, and I couldn't understand it, so he said to call you. Why was Booth nearest to the phone? You liked the other side of the bed?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ange, _separate beds_. How many times do I have to say it? _Separate beds_." I was growing agitated now. Angela had found out our first morning in Virginia that we'd spent the night in the same hotel room. She'd given me a video call when Booth was still asleep, and I had to give her the view of the other bed to convince her we slept on different beds.

"Right," Angela sang. "We'll go with that if you want."

"What's the G-man doing now?" she asked, her voice excited.

I snuck a look at Booth on the bed. "Snoring."

"Uh-huh. You wore him out, huh, hon?"

I groaned, clapping a hand to my forehead. "Please tell me Hodgins is nearby so I can talk to him now," I grumbled.

Angela laughed and passed the phone to someone. "Hey, Dr. B," I heard Hodgins said cheerily.

"What have you got for me?"

"The particulates I found on the soles of the victim's shoes are the same type of sand found outside her boyfriend's house. Very fresh. I also found traces of rose, and the kind of fertilizer his mother uses. It's a pretty rare brand, imported from Massachusetts. I also found traces of it in the wounds on her back, and her arms." He paused for dramatic effect. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"What?"

"_King of the lab, baby_!" he boomed, cackling maniacally.

I heard Zach in the background, saying "Not fair. If I had more time with the-"

"But you didn't, dude. I am king of the damn lab!" Hodgins was yelling.

I rolled my eyes. Geniuses who acted like five year olds. Who would have believed that. "Hodgins!" I shouted, trying to gain his attention.

I heard him clear his throat before his voice came back solemnly. I sighed, irritated. "It means that Dannii Marsden was killed at her boyfriend's house."

"Thanks, Hodgins. I'll let Booth know."

Hodgins was about to hang up, but then he called my name. "Dr. B, Angela wants to know if you're, uh…" I heard him trail off and say quietly to Angela, "I can't ask her that, she'll _kill _me."

They argued for a few seconds before I cleared my throat, impatient.

"Ifyou'respankingthemonkey."

"Oh, for the love of anthropology!" I yelled, snapping the phone shut.

"For the love of _anthropology_?" Booth asked, looking at me from the bed, amused.

I swiveled and faced him, shrugging. "Well, I couldn't say 'God'…It seems hypocritical."

Booth laughed, and motioned for me to come lie down next to him. I protested even as I obliged. "Booth, you need to get up," I said, as he took my hand and pulled me down to the bed. Booth didn't answer to that, and instead rolled on top of me, pressing his lips to mine. "Uhm, and you need to stop doing that," I gasped.

He captured my hands when I went to push him away, entwining his fingers with mine and pulling my arms over my head, holding me down with his body. "No, I need to relax," he murmured against my neck. "And so do you."

I laughed as his mouth made its way across my jaw, and tickled my earlobe. "Booth! We can relax once we get back to DC. We've got our killer," I informed him.

Immediately, his head snapped up. His eyes blazed with a fire I understood-no one deserved to be murdered, and no one deserved to walk free after killing someone. Then he looked down at me, smiling disappointedly.

I tugged one of my hands free and trailed it down his bare chest. "It's alright, Booth. I'll make it up to you when we get back," I promised, brushing my lips against his.

******************************************************************************

_Angela M.'s POV_

I laughed as I heard Brennan curse over the phone, and laughed harder at Jack's horrified look. My fiancé, conspiracy theorist, entomologist, and afraid of the bridesmaid. "You think it's funny that Brennan is mad at me?" Jack asked me, aghast. "Any normal guy would be running in the opposite direction, screaming bloody murder."

I took his chin in my hand and directed him to look at me. "But you're not any normal guy, Jack. You're _my _guy. She'll make an exception, and would probably only break your toe," I shrugged.

I don't think he was comforted much by this.

"Hey, so listen," I leaned in conspiratorially and both Hodgins and Zach came closer to me. "Brennan and Booth are sharing a room," I told them, beaming.

I hadn't been able to tell them this yet, because Cam was always around these past couple of days. I don't know where she and Booth stand, but everyone must feel strange hearing about their exes, right? I didn't want to rub salt in the wound or anything.

"No way," Hodgins said, his blue eyes twinkling in excitement.

I nodded my head. "Caught them the other day. Booth was sleeping. Brennan said that they sleep on separate beds, and the only reason they're in the same room is because the hotel is out of rooms, but come _on_! It's Booth and Brennan we're talking about here. I'm pretty sure they're getting some action."

"What action?" Zach asked, looking at me in confusion.

I sighed, shaking my head. He's more clueless than Brennan, and I still find that to be a miracle. I turned to Jack, who has his arms folded across his chest, and one hand under his chin. He was looking down at the Angelator, nodding his head and frowning as if he was scrutinizing a piece of crucial evidence.

"Yes, I see it now. They try to hide it by putting it out there like a big neon sign, but we see right through it, right, Angie?" I grinned at him. "Oh, the conspiracies!" he shivered on purpose, and I burst out laughing. My Hodgie can be very adorable.

"So you really think just because Booth and Dr. Brennan are sharing a room, they're having sexual endeavors?" Zach asked, looking between Hodgins and I. Maybe he wasn't as clueless as I thought he was.

"Well, yeah," I nodded. "They have to be. I mean-" I leaned in, trying to tell them about the kiss I witnessed. I felt like I had been keeping it all a secret from them for so long, I was ready to burst. A woman can only take so much!

"Dr Brennan and Agent Booth are very professional in their line of duty." I jumped. Turning around, I blushed at the sight of Camille Saroyan as she strode into the room, arms crossed, head tall, eyes narrowed into angry slits. She had obviously heard the entire thing.

"Of course, Cam," I said quickly, trying to pacify her.

"Neither one of them would purposely do something as unethical as having one night stands in the middle of a case out there in the field," she snapped.

I shot a look at Jack, begging him to help me. He took a breath and stood a little taller. "Well, it's Booth and Brennan. If they do hook up, we're pretty certain it's not going to be a one night stand," he shrugged casually.

I mentally slapped him. I didn't mean for him to add fuel to the fire. Cam glared at him, then looked at each one of us, her gaze burning into our skulls. "Booth would never jeopardize his work, or working relationships. He would refrain from having any intimate encounters with co-workers for ethical and professional reasons," she said with conviction.

Hodgins and I fell silent at this. So was this the reason Booth broke up with her? Brennan only told me that it happened, not why or how, or where. A girl needed this kind of crucial information.

Zach, ever the oblivious one, stared at her right back, confusion etched on his features. "But didn't you and Agent Booth had a sexual relationship a year ago?" he asked.

Cam flinched, and glared at Zach. "If you're done with the case, I'd want you to start working on a Limbo case. You're paid to do your jobs, so a little more decorum would be great."

I watched as she stalked out of the room, muttering to herself, shaking her head.

I turned to Jack and Zach. "You think boss lady over there still has the hots for Booth or what?" I grinned.

Jack shook his head sympathetically. "Oh, man. This cannot be good for Brennan," he said.

"What, you think she'll use her leverage as the head of the Forensics department to sabotage Booth and Brennan?"

"If she got all riled up just hearing of the possibility of their relationship, imagine how she'd react when it's proven right in front of her."

"No way. Is she that shallow? I mean, I thought they've moved on?"

"She hasn't been in a serious relationship since Booth, and Booth hadn't had girlfriends either."

"We _know _that's because he's head over heels with Bren."

"_She _doesn't know that."

"Wow."

"Yeah…"

Zach merely looked from Jack to me, and back to Jack again, a look of utter puzzlement on his face.

I sighed, grabbing my sketchpad and going over to sit at my desk. Maybe I should draw to relieve some tension. Maybe I'd get an inspiration on how to help Booth and Bren. They might not admit it, at least not to other people, but they're in love. I've waited a long time for them to get together, and if that's finally happening for my best friend, I'm not about to let some ex get in the way.

_Can I just say how much I love Angela, in a non-lesbian sort of way? Okay, okay, no Parker in this one either, and not in the next chapter. But the one after that is all Parker with BB for the weekend. So don't kill me, yeah??_

_I hope this is good. I'm writing this after writing two other chapters, so I think I just made a mess out of it. Review to tell me if I'm wrong or, gasp, if I'm right…_

_Thanks._


	11. The Rest of the World Disappears

_**AN: **So we have this chapter on their last day in Virginia, before BB head back to DC. I hope I've got things right here…Enjoy, and read and review, yeah?_

_P.S. Just saw this week's episode, and is Booth's brother an a** or what?? Totally love the BB scenes, though._

_**Disclaimer:** No…_

_**POVs: **S. Booth, T. Brennan_

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_S. Booth's POV_

Bones is a very light sleeper, something surprising for Ranger to admit. She woke up at the slightest movement or sound. Of course, when she saw that nothing is wrong, she would go back to sleep in a second.

I would wake up before she did, though. These past few nights, we've slept in the same bed together. We still haven't made love yet. I wanted it to be special the first time we did end up being intimate with each other. I didn't want it to be in a hotel in Virginia, while we were in the middle of a case.

Bones deserved better than that.

Besides, we've been in a relationship for five days, three of which were spent solving a case. It was too early, too fast. Bones and I…We're different. There's a lot more at stake here. She might not run, like she had told me, but I'm still going to take it slow. I don't want to scare either one of us, and end up ruining what we have. I liked the way we were right at this point, and if preserving that meant taking it one excruciatingly slow step after another, then that's what I'll do.

I watched Bones sleep for a few minutes longer, then kissed her cheek. I climbed off the bed as quietly as possible, and went over to the bathroom. I knew she would probably hear me in the shower, but at least she would go back to sleep if she were tired. We had spent the entire day on the stakeout for John Marcowski, the victim's boyfriend. The guy hadn't gone back home after we'd interrogated him. Even his mother didn't know where he'd gone. We finally found from one of his friends, who was a little bit of a coward, where he might have gone.

When we told the kid that Marcowski had killed someone, he cracked under Bones' steely gaze. He'd burst into tears and told us that John had a friend in the countryside with a cabin. Bones and I had driven-by which I meant I had driven-all the way to this said cabin, and staked it out.

Marcowski had showed up in his beat up truck almost an hour later, and had tried to escape when he saw my SUV. He had driven wildly down the dirt road leading up to the damned cabin in the middle of nowhere. He'd gone three miles when I finally cornered him, cuffed him and brought him to the county jail.

Bones and I had the day off today, considering we'd wrapped up our case early. I wanted to take her out for a day in Virginia. It's a beautiful place, and the countryside is amazing. She had only seen the bad side of Virginia so far, which gave her the opportunity to talk my ear off about how people could kill and then hide behind their facades pretending everything everything's fine.

I wanted to give her a little something to remember, something more than murderers and skeletons, and rusty cabins. Maybe take her out to see the sights, maybe even take her out to the better part of the countryside, camp out for a few hours, enjoy a little bit of nature.

If it were any other woman, I wouldn't even bother suggesting hiking out somewhere. But this was Bones we're talking about. She's gone to dig sites in Guatemala, Uganda and El Salvador. She studies human remains every day. She hunts and knows three different kinds of martial arts she's not afraid to use, and for some strange reason, she keeps pestering me for a gun. She's amazing-just Bones.

I think taking her out to the countryside to watch the sunset would be a very good idea. My sister, the ultimate traveler, had gone to Virginia once, and told me to go to this inn…Maybe I'll take Bones there. She would like it, if the surrounding is anything like the pictures Melinda showed me.

I stepped out of the bathroom, running a towel through my hair quickly so that the water won't drip down to my shirt. Bones was already up, sitting against the headboard, flipping through the channels.

I grinned at her. "Admit it, Bones. Once we get back to DC, and you start staying at your apartment again, you'll miss TV," I teased.

Bones shot me a glare. "I won't miss the idiot box," she scoffed. "I was merely checking the news channel."

I stared at the screen. "So Cosby's doing weather reports now, huh?"

"I don't know what that means."

I sighed dramatically, and sat on the edge of the bed. I really had to buy her one of those pop culture reference books. "Come on, Bones. Go and take a shower. I want to take you out."

"To go back to DC?"

"No, to go around Virginia for a day," I replied.

Bones raised an eyebrow at me. "Booth! That's highly unprofessional!" I bit back a chuckle. Right. Because snuggling up to your partner at night is professional. "The FBI is paying for the room. We can't just abandon work for the day…"

"We don't have to stay in the room," I protested. "I was thinking we go sight seeing for a bit, then we go somewhere-it's a surprise. We could grab a bite for dinner, then head back to DC."

"Without getting some rest first? Are you trying to crash the car?"

My precious wheels? Not a chance. I snorted, "Alright, we could get a room somewhere else. Don't worry about that, Bones. We have to give in to our spontaneity once in a while."

I took her by the hand, tugged her out of bed and pushed her into the bathroom. "Booth!" Bones grumbled, but she didn't kung fu me out of the way so I guess she didn't completely hate the idea that much.

I packed up the rest of my things and checked to make sure that Bones hadn't left anything behind either. I was just straightening up from checking the drawers when Bones came out of the bathroom, dripping wet, clad in only a towel. It was barely decent-I could practically see every bit of her upper thighs.

Her eyes widened innocently, and she smiled slightly at the sight of me gaping at her. "What?" she asked, her face the very picture of seraphic beauty. "You pushed me in there before I could get my clothes."

I knew the dark glint in her eyes though. She was teasing me, the way I had the past couple of days-leaning into her for no reason, parading around the room with nothing but my boxers…She was getting even with me.

I scowled at her. "Mean, Bones. Mean," I shook my head, trying desperately to tear my gaze away from her.

Bones laughed. "Just paying you up."

"Back, Bones, it's paying me _back_."

"What is the _difference_?"

An hour later, Bones and I had checked out of the hotel and were heading to the diner a few blocks down. We'd gone there to eat breakfast, and whenever I had the occasional need for pie, for the few days we've been in Virginia.

Dory, the waitress, came by our table, and smiled brightly at us. She was in her fifties and claimed to have work in the diner for half of her life. "Hey, sweethearts," she greeted us. "Know what you want yet?"

"I'll have coffee, omelets and French toast," Bones ordered.

"Coffee, pancakes, eggs and bacon, and a slice of apple pie, please," I rubbed my hands together. Dory laughed, already acquainted with my love for pie. She shook her head, writing my order down as she walked off.

Bones just glared at me. "You know, I'd rather you live a long and healthy life, Booth," she told me, rolling her eyes at me.

"You want me to live a long life, Bones?" I asked, leaning forward and smiling at her.

"Of course I do, if it's a _healthy _one."

I groaned, leaning back against the booth we were seated at. "I'll start eating healthy when I'm fifty."

"That's too late to start eating healthy, Booth. You should start now."

"Can't we go one meal without you nagging at me to eat healthier food?"

"I don't nag, Booth, I _advice_."

I snorted again. "Yeah, well, if you call that advice, I'd really hate to see what-"

I stopped. Dory had come back to our table with a pot of coffee in her hand, chuckling at us. "How long have you two been married?" she asked, turning over our mugs on the table and pouring the black liquid into them.

Bones and I exchanged a look. Bones was blushing and she looked slightly uncomfortable. "Oh, we're not married," I said quickly, not wanting her to read too much into this and get scared off. People have been assumed we're together for as long as I can remember, but this was different. We _were _together now. It's just odd now if people assume we're actually married.

"Oh?" Dory looked surprised. "I'm sorry. I just thought…My husband and I bicker all the time, like the two of you. Harmless bickering, really. I actually enjoy. It's stimulating for the brain," Dory chuckled again. "You _are _together, though, right?"

I smiled a little, winking at Bones. I watched in amusement as she reddened slightly further. "Yes," I said proudly, wrapping an arm around her waist, and pulling her closer to me.

"How long?" Dory asked, a tender look on her face.

"Either nearly four years, or five days. Depends on which way you look at it."

Dory looked confused by this, and looked from Bones to me, trying to figure out what that meant. "Alright then, sweetie. I'll be right back with your order in a while."

Bones looked at me as soon as Dory was gone. "Four years?" she asked, her brows furrowing together in confusion.

I nodded my head slowly. "Well…Yes. We have been in a relationship for four years."

"A partnership, Booth. That's different."

"How so?"

"We didn't kiss."

I laughed, taking the free hand she had on the table with mine. "Yes, but we were much more than just partners or friends, Bones," I said. When she just stared at me, I shifted uncomfortably, withdrawing my hand. "At least, that's how I felt…"

Bones smiled and took my retreating hand back in hers. "Yes, I just…We dated other people. I never understood that. I thought it just meant you had no prior feelings for me."

I shrugged. "You dated David, and I just…I don't know, I guess I figured you didn't like me."

Bones frowned. "We were friends, Booth. How could I not like you if we had a friendship?"

I smiled, "I meant _like_, as in _like '_like'. You know, 'I-want-to-kiss-you' like."

Her eyes lit up in understanding and her smile widened. "You wanted to kiss me?" she asked, half teasing, half curious.

I leaned forward and tapped the tip of her nose with a finger. She wrinkled it at me, and I grinned. "Yes. Plenty of times. I just didn't."

Dory came back with our order, placed them on the table and looked at us, a smile on her face. One hand came flying up to her heart and she sighed. "Virginia is for lovers," she told us, smiling from ear to ear.

Bones started on her French toast. "Why didn't you?"

"What?" I was sipping on my coffee, so my question came out sounding like 'hwhmmt?'

Bones rolled her eyes at me, and picked on her eggs. "Why didn't you kiss me? If you wanted to all those times…Why didn't you?" she asked softly, her cerulean eyes piercing me, searching me for answers.

I choked on my coffee. "Uh, well…" I wasn't exactly comfortable discussing this. Didn't Bones already know about the whole no relationship at work thing? Alright, so I didn't truly believe that Bones and I would grow apart if we started a relationship. In fact, I believed that we would grow closer.

"Is it because of the line?" she prodded. "Because we pretty much erased that."

I couldn't look at her. What do I tell her? That I wanted to, but I was too cowardly to go down that path? That I was afraid I'd lose her if I did? That I made a mistake when I started seeing Cam? That she was seeing Sully, and she looked so happy I didn't have a choice? That every single day all I thought about when I woke up was going to work because I get to see Bones?

"Booth," her voice pleaded.

I sighed, and finally looked up at her. "I was just…Cautious." Was that manly enough? "I didn't want to ruin our partnership, or our friendship. Then there were all these people…David, Sully…"

"Rebecca, Cam," she retorted.

I winced, relenting. Alright, she had a point. "Right. Them, too," I mumbled. "I just wasn't sure if you felt the same way, and I couldn't jeopardize what we already had. I knew that if I went for it, and you weren't ready or if you didn't feel the same way, I'd lose you."

Bones was looking down at her coffee mug, frowning. I tapped her chin, and she looked up. "I just couldn't lose you, Temperance," I said sincerely. "I wanted us to be perfect."

She raised an eyebrow. "Perfect is technically impossible in anything other than science," she informed me in her 'squint voice'.

Then she relented. "Though I know what you mean."

I sighed with relief inwardly. Then I smirked and, to lighten the mood, I said, "That's the first time I've heard you say that."

Bones slapped me on the arm.

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

This was getting frustrating. Booth won't tell me where he was driving me to no matter how many times I pestered him about it. All he would do is tell me to eat my breakfast, buckle in my seatbelt, switch to his normal radio channel and don't ever disturb his stupid radio again…He knew better than to tell me something was a surprise then hold out on me altogether, so I won't fall for his annoyed look and give in. He brought this onto himself.

"Come on, Booth, tell me!" I turned to him, asking him the question for the thousandth time in the past few hours. He had driven us out of Winchester, and now we were headed towards Shenandoah. I really wanted to know where he was planning on taking me. It was the least he could do after abducting me and forbidding me from going back to the Jeffersonian for today.

"Bones!" he mock glared at me. "Will you cut it out? It's a surprise, okay?"

I sighed, settling back in my seat.

I tried to distract myself the best that I can. I stared out the window and looked at the trees and cars that we passed, but that bore me easily. I tried listening to the radio, but these were all songs that I've never heard of and, frankly, don't care for. I tried to talk to Booth but every time I opened my mouth, I would only ask him where he was taking me.

"Isn't it enough to know that I'm not taking you somewhere secluded so I could kill you?" he'd joked.

Finally, after an hour had gone by, we reached the Shenandoah Valley. "We're here!" Booth announced, pulling up in front of an inn overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

"An inn?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him.

He nodded his head. "My sister-she travels a lot. She came here once. She told me to come here if I ever wanted to just get away from everything. There's hiking trails, or we could ride horses, or go to the mountains. Whatever you want," he said, smiling his charm smile at me.

I thought about it. It was actually very beautiful here, picturesque. I loved it. I haven't been on a lot of vacations, and none that was actually in the middle of a landscape like this. Even if this was for the day, I'd take it.

I grinned back at Booth. "I like it."

******************************************************************************

"Come on, Bones, let's go take a walk outside," Booth grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist from the back, dropping his chin on my shoulder.

I had no objections. The place was beautiful, and I was looking forward to walking around a little, and maybe even doing a little horseback riding. It would be interesting, since I haven't ride on a horse for a few years now. I hope I remembered everything.

Booth and I had checked into a room at the inn. This would have been awkward for us-if I hadn't spent the last five nights sleeping in the same bed with Booth. First it was his apartment, then in that hotel room in Winchester.

I don't think I've ever stayed at an inn before. My time outside of Washington are mostly spent in places like Peru. I like it, I do, going out to dig sites and taking part in excavations, then identifying the remains. It's a part of my work, but what else do I enjoy other than that?

And when I do take some time off, I work on my book. I find it relaxing to just let go and focus all my energy on writing.

But Booth was getting me to loosen up. He was taking me out to dinners, and getting me to hike, and enjoy the scene, and 'smell the roses'-whatever that meant. I loved the mountain. It was so beautiful, and I could see it from our room.

I laughed at Booth's enthusiasm, and slid my hand in his, following him out to the hiking trail. It was refreshing, to just let go of my inhibitions and just have fun with him. I was so used to being around killers, and skeletons, and case files. And even with Booth, when we hung out as friends, back home it was just Chinese and a good talk. I couldn't have asked for more, but this was good, too.

"I want to ride a horse," I told him, as we headed back to the inn after our hike.

Booth smiled at my exuberance. He probably thought I wouldn't get into our day off together considering I was unnerved by the idea of putting off work. Technically, we'd be missing a day and a half, taking in the time Booth would need to drive us back to Washington the next day. But I refused to think about that now. I would have to put in a few extra hours to catch up on my work, and Booth would have a lot of paperwork to do on our case once he gets back, but I really didn't mind at the moment.

We went to the stables at the inn, and I got to ride a white stallion called Cletus. Booth wasn't that good at riding horses, since it was his first time, and it turned out that I remembered a few things.

Booth fell off the horse twice, and I couldn't help but laugh. He just looked so adorable, being all irritated and humiliated at the same time. I think Cletus thought the same thing.

When we finally got back to the inn, we were both exhausted and sore-Booth more than me. Still, the inn had a five star restaurant review, and Booth insisted we went down for it instead of just ordering up room service.

I didn't exactly have a fancy dress to go down to the restaurant, but it was an inn, like Booth pointed out. All I had to do was wear a nice shirt, some pants, let down my hair and we're good to go.

The dinner was impeccable. Booth had steak, saying that he was a man and had to eat like a man. I just rolled my eyes at the typically male response, ordering a vegetable lasagna. The truth was, as much fun as I had, I was starved. I could have probably ate Booth's steak if my lasagna had been late, despite the fact that I'm a vegetarian.

"Did you have fun today, Bones?" Booth asked, as we were both climbing into bed.

I nodded my head, smiling slightly. "Yes, I did." My smile grew wider as I remembered Booth's attempts at riding the horse.

He seemed to realize this from my grin, and groaned. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "I'm never going to live down the Cletus thing, am I?"

"Not for a very long time, no."

He scowled at me, but I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled myself closer to him. "I really did enjoy myself, Booth," I told him sincerely. "I can't say that I've ever done this before."

"Watch your boyfriend get humiliated by horses?" he teased, running his hand through my partially damp hair.

I laughed. "No!" I swatted his chest. "I meant have fun. Like this. It felt good to just…Let go. We're going to have a lot of paperwork piling up-"

He didn't let me finish that sentence, sliding further down the bed and pulling me on top of him. I giggled between his kisses. "Booth!" I squealed, squirming as his hands ran down my sides.

"We're still on our one day vacation, Bones. No talking about work!" he smirked, pulling my head down to his to pull me in for a searing kiss.

I couldn't think when he kissed me like that, so I tried to break away, gasping for air. All that did was allow him room to trail kisses down my neck. I was in a frenzy, gripping at his shoulders to pull him closer, yet fighting every instinct in my body so I could break free.

I needed to think rationally for a second. True, Booth and I have gone past our normal relationship. We have definitely crossed that line he drew so many years ago, but I still needed to think. This was Booth we're talking about. _Booth_. I couldn't just let go of everything, follow my instincts then regret it later. I don't think I would regret it, but I was convinced that if things moved too fast for us, I would run.

I would want to place distance between us to think through everything, and when I boil it all down, I would believe that even though Booth and I are amazing together, and that I love him beyond belief, and care for him so much it hurts, I couldn't rely on emotions, or allow them to rule my decisions. I would fall back on science, and logic.

My eyes snapped open. I loved Booth? Where did I get that?

"Booth…" I groaned, trying to push him away, but he just growled in the back of his throat, rolling us over so that he was on top of me. He captured my lips with his, his arm around my waist lifting me off the bed slightly, pressing our bodies close. Just his kisses were intimate enough. His touch was so personal.

It made me so happy, but so sad and afraid that it would end. And it made me angry to feel so dependent on him like this.

I pulled back a little, drawing in oxygen as if I had been drowning just seconds ago. If I were to use metaphors, I guess I had been. Booth looked right back at me, unflinching, unabashed, his darkened, brown eyes boring into me.

I knew it was irrational and practically impossible because for one thing there was no such thing, but every time he looked at me this way, I feel as though he was looking straight into my soul. As if he could see everything I've ever been, everything I wanted to be. As if he saw right through my pretenses, and my lies, and my truths.

And the funny thing was, he was still here, still with me.

So yes, I was afraid. Terrified out of my mind.

But for now, I was content. Just being with Booth, having him with me, kissing him and having the rest of the world disappears…It was a kind of bliss I never thought I'd have.

_Sorry. I would have updated sooner but I was too busy watching Bones interviews. Anyone know where I can find DB and ED interviews together?? I can find individual interviews fine, but all I can find of them together are the short ones on Fox. I want the interviews where they're all cute, and talk about each other. I read the words, but I don't see them anywhere…Hmm._

_Anyway, this chapter is a little longer than usual. I think it sucks beyond anything. Tell me what you think. Review, please!!! Thank you!!!_

_P.S. To colonelheather, I hope this would answer your question. Why would I have BB finally get all hot and sweaty with one another without actually writing it?? I'm not very good at writing smut, but I'm still excited about that. So, no, they didn't have sex at the end of chapter 9, or here, actually. Not next chapter, because there's Parker…Remember they're taking it slow._

_Once again, review until I'm on overload. Really. Don't stop. I want to know what you think. Should I continue or put a revolver in my mouth?? Press the button!_


	12. Reunion

_**A/N: **__Yeah! Parker! Damn, I miss that kid! Btw, this takes place the Thursday/Friday after BB's trip to Virginia, so about eight days have passed._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own anything except a few hundred bucks I'm planning on saving in case I end up on a Jack Kerouac kind of trip someday soon._

_**POVs: **__Parker B., T. Brennan, S. Booth_

______________________________________________________________________________

_Parker B.'s POV_

Mommy and Captain Fantastic had finally brought me home. I don't like Utah very much. Captain Fantastic wanted me to meet his mommy and daddy, but I didn't like them. They're nothing like daddy's parents. Then mommy told me to play with Captain Fantastic's niece and nephew. The girl was older than me, by a year, but she acted like she was better than me. She wanted all the good toys to herself. The boy didn't even want to talk to me.

I'm glad I'm finally back. Daddy can take me out to pizza and ice-cream like he promised. Mommy said I could go over to his house early this week. I get to go tomorrow after school-on Friday! I just had to promise that I won't bother daddy, and that I will finish all my homework and not play all the time. I won't worry about that-Dr. Bones will be there! She's smart. She could help me.

When I mentioned Dr. Bones, mommy got all angry again. She told me not to talk about Dr. Bones during our trip to Utah, but the trip was over. I thought it was okay again?

I called daddy before I went to bed, to make sure he remembered to pick me up from school the next day. I can't wait! If daddy picked me up early, that means we get to go visit Dr. Bones. Or maybe she'll be at daddy's apartment again. I think they're going to get married because grown-ups do that. They love each other, and then they get married, and live happily ever after. Daddy told me that.

I think daddy and Dr. Bones would have a very happy life together. And I'm happy for them. Dr. Bones is a very nice lady, and I don't mind having her around. One time, she let me do an experiment with her, with food dye and water. I watched the water turned different colors. She said we could do more experiments the next time. Maybe I could get her to do an experiment with me this weekend!

I hope I get to see a skeleton! Daddy said I shouldn't because then I'd have nightmares. But I'm not afraid, as long as daddy's there. He's a superhero, like Batman. Only, he's FBI, which is cooler because he gets a badge and a gun.

I was just climbing into bed when mommy came into the room. She smiled at me and came closer to the bed. "Parks, you ready for bed?" she asked.

I nodded my head. I was extremely tired, but I wanted to hear a story first. "Mommy, tell me a story!" I pleaded.

She laughed, rolling her eyes. But she sat on my bed and pulled out a book anyway. I listened to her read, but it didn't make me sleepy like always. I was still too excited about seeing daddy and Dr. Bones tomorrow.

"Parker, go to sleep okay?" I jumped a little and realized that mommy had finished with her story.

I bit my lip and looked at her. Should I ask her about Dr. Bones? I really wanted to know if she would be there… "Mommy?" I asked tentatively. Surely mommy won't make me say I can't see my own friend? She's my mommy. And I haven't done anything wrong. Neither has Dr. Bones.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Mommy pushed the hair back from my face. I couldn't help but notice that Dr. Bones does it differently. She didn't mess up my hair when she does it, and her hands were much gentler.

"Do you think Dr. Bones will be there tomorrow?" I asked hopefully.

I watched as mommy's face got all pale again. Then she became angry. "Parker, tomorrow's your weekend with your dad, okay?" she snapped. "It's got nothing to do with Dr. Bones!"

She was being so mean, I couldn't help it. My bottom lip started to quiver. Mommy sighed and wrapped an arm around me. "I'm sorry, Parker. It's just that…" She hesitated, and she had that look on her face she always gets before she tells me I'm too young to understand something. That has always annoyed me-she could just _tell _me, and I'll see if I understand it or not.

"Just spend the time with your dad, okay? I'm sure you miss him. You can see…anyone else…some when else," she said finally, struggling with her words.

Mommy kissed me on the forehead and smiled a little. I watched as she tucked me in, closed the light and left the room.

I stared up at the dark ceiling. I missed the nightlight in my room at daddy's house. I told him about him being Batman once, so he got me a Batman nightlight. He said that every time I got scared and woke up, if I see the nightlight, just remember that he's there to protect me. I wanted to be Robin.

I shifted and rolled over to my side. It's alright. Tomorrow I'll just ask daddy to bring me to Dr. Bones. I have homework, and Dr. Bones is very smart. I'm sure daddy will bring me there, then she can come with us to eat pizza and ice-cream!

I can't wait to see daddy again! And he's always happy whenever Dr. Bones is around. I like to see him smile that much. And she's happy, too. I like that.

I closed my eyes as sleep took over, hoping daddy won't mind if I want two different kinds of ice cream.

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

I glanced at the watch strapped to my wrist and smiled. Any minute now, the bell would ring and Parker would come out of the school. I was excited-I haven't seen Parker in such a long time. Rebecca had me call him once in two days in Utah, saying that he had a lot of fun during the day and was usually tired out by the time night falls. I couldn't argue with that. I didn't want Parker to miss out on sleep.

And during our case, sometimes I couldn't call him. We were doing all we can, investigating, interrogating, stake-outs…

But now I get Parker for two and a half days. I couldn't wait. I'm fully intending to follow up on my promise of pizza and ice-cream. Parker had reminded me of that particular promise yesterday night when he called. He was enthusiastic about it.

I just hoped he'd forgotten about inviting Bones, and her acceptance.

It wasn't that I didn't want her there. I do. What's better than having both Parker and Bones with me, enjoying our time together?

But Rebecca had been adamant. She had called me, the day after she and Parker had returned from their trip. Parker had spoken to me all of five minutes before she'd taken the phone away and told Parker to go to the living room and finish the snack she'd made him.

She had told me how Parker's too young to be around inconsistencies, and how Bones was merely my partner, and even if I'd decided to take it to the next level, Parker shouldn't be so involved.

I would have agreed, if this wasn't Bones we were talking about.

But I couldn't explain it to Rebecca. She just had to know, understand, Bones, and she didn't. Not a lot of people do, and it's hard to explain it to them. I had tried, of course, but it all fell on deaf ears.

I knew Bones missed Parker, I see it in the eyes every time I mentioned Parker, or she asked. I wasn't going to keep Parker away from Bones on purpose. I wouldn't do that to her. I know how much she must love him, even if she doesn't want to admit it.

My mom told me that love goes both ways. Seeing the adoration Parker held for Bones, and how happy he gets every time she's around…It's enough for me.

I just hope that Rebecca can understand that. Her arguments were a little off-all of her reasons I could throw back in her face. She had done the same things, with people she could put much less faith in. And I know that she doesn't know Bones as well as I do, but she's met her a few times. I would think that she knows enough to understand that Bones would never hurt my son.

The bell rung sharply, and I started. Kids started to run out from the building, towards eager parents. I searched the rapidly growing crowd for Parker. Finally I spotted him.

He was yelling, running towards me wildly. I grinned, and picked him up, swinging him over my shoulders and cradling him in my arms as I hugged him. "Hey, bub," I breathed, kissing the top of his golden head.

He smiled up at me as I carried him to the back seat, buckling him in. "You ready for some pizza and ice-cream?" I asked him cheerfully.

He nodded his head enthusiastically. I had already gotten his stuff from Rebecca's this morning, so I didn't have to make any quick stops.

I ruffled Parker's hair once then closed the door, walking around the SUV to the driver's seat. Just as I strapped myself in and backed out of the parking spot, Parker cleared his throat. I glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

"Where's Dr. Bones, daddy?" he asked, his voice full of innocence. My heart sank. How could Rebecca even ask me to take that away? This was a kind of friendship I never expected, never saw coming. Especially with Bones, considering she's always been so wary about having children of her own.

But she was amazing with Andy, and I knew that even though she won't admit it out loud or dwell on the past, she would have taken Andy in if no one else would have done it. She would have never let Andy go into the system, and land in a family that might or might not be entirely safe.

And she would have been a great mom.

Over the years of our partnership, she has grown more attached to Parker. And while she still doesn't understand certain things that children do, or that adults do to appease children, she had always seemed content whenever Parker's around.

It didn't make her uncomfortable the way I knew some kids make her feel.

"At the lab, Parks. She's working," I told him.

"Oh." Parker's eyes fell down to the car seat, and he didn't look up at me, or ask me questions, or start telling me about everything that had happened since we last talked to each other the way he always did.

He was disappointed.

Well, hell. Rebecca was just going to have to deal with this in her own time.

"How about you and I go pick her up so she could join us, huh?" I asked, smiling slightly as I turned to look at him, waiting for the light to turn green.

Parker's head snapped up and his Booth smile was in place. "Really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

No, I definitely wasn't taking this away. This was what made my son happy. And it made me happy, too. This was a very good thing, a once in a lifetime thing. I was going to stop fighting it, the way Rebecca was going to have to. In fact, I'm going to start fighting for it.

"Yeah, bub. Think she'll want to go?" I asked, turning back to face the front as I gunned the engine, driving in the direction of the Jeffersonian.

"I know she'll want to!" Parker bellowed excitedly. "She promised she'll come! Daddy, we have to show her our Booth Boys Sundae Special!" he screamed.

I laughed. Bones would not like that-it was too sweet, too much ice-cream, and cherries, and sprinkles.

But she'll smile, and laugh, and eat it, and say she'll love it-just for Parker.

If I haven't said it before, I'm saying it now. It's good enough for me.

******************************************************************************

I pulled into the Jeffersonian parking lot and had barely pulled Parker out of the car when he was already screaming excitedly for me to walk faster.

"Come _on_, daddy!" he groaned at my slow pace. I snorted. Only a six year old overly anxious kid could complain about the speed of a Ranger.

We reached the cool interiors of the Jeffersonian, and I smiled. We crossed the platform, and I scanned it, noticing that Bones wasn't on it. Hodgins, Zach and Angela were, though. I waved at them.

So far, in the lab, no one knew about our relationship. I think we've managed to even dodge Angela, which was nothing short of a miracle. She had been dropping more and more hints recently, though. I attribute that to her anxiety over finding her husband whose name she can't remember.

Man, squints have really strange lives.

Angela walked over to us. "Hey, Booths," she greeted us with a big smile.

Parker smiled shyly at her. He had never really been acquainted with any of the Squints. He's been to the Jeffersonian once before, and that was because I had to drop off a case file with Bones. He'd barely spent two minutes in here.

I kept having this irrational dream that he would catch some sort of bug and start becoming a Squint himself. A fear I would not be telling Bones about.

"I'm Angela," she said to Parker.

"Hello," he mumbled, hiding against my coat. I laughed, tapping his chin until he looked up at me.

"S'okay," I told him. "Angela's a friend."

"Like Dr. Bones?" he asked, his brows furrowing. Okay, how do I answer that? If I said 'no', Angela would prod as to what it meant even though she knew Bones and I are partners, not just friends. She would want to hear some unprofessed love story. But if I said 'yes'…Parker's already seen Bones at my house, and I think he knows we have a deeper relationship. He would start thinking the wrong thing. Not that I think a six year old is capable of thinking that…Man, this was complicated.

Angela saved me from answering. If that's what you called it. "S'okay, sweetie," she told me, winking. "I think we all know your relationship with Brennan is deeper than ours."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Where's Bones?" I asked. I hope she wasn't in Limbo looking over a skeleton.

"In her office. She's wrapping up on your latest case," she told me.

I nodded my head, and walked towards Bones' office. She was at her desk, doing paperwork. I shuddered at the memory of paperwork I had to endure. It turned out that Bones was right-when we came back from our day of fun, the pile of work had come crashing down on us. Just one day, and it felt like we'd been gone a month.

I flexed the fingers on my free hand. Parker saw her and tugged his hand away from mine, running towards her. "Dr. Bones!" he yelled.

I smiled as Bones looked up, surprised. She grinned at the little tuft of blonde hair poking under her desk and lifted him up into her lap.

"Parker, I've missed you," she said, hugging him briefly.

He nodded his head, snuggling deeper into her, and started playing with the pens on her desk, looking at all the papers. "Me, too," he smiled. "Are you coming with us?"

Bones looked at me, confused, and I explained to her. "Pizza and ice-cream, remember?" I asked, grinning.

She rolled her eyes. "More unhealthy food?" she mock frowned at me. I shrugged nonchalantly. I could already see her caving in.

"Please, Dr. Bones?" Parker smiled, playing with the fingers around his middle now. "You promised you'd come," he said, pouting. I knew he was only pretending so he'd get what he want, but I let him. If it would get Bones to come, I wouldn't interfere.

"Okay."

I reached over and gave Parker a high five. No one could resist the Booth charm smile.

"I just have to finish a few sentences, then I'm done. Is that okay?" she asked.

I nodded my head, then realized that Parker might be in the way of her work. "Parker, don't sit there, Bones needs to work," I waved at him to sit on the couch.

Parker looked upset-he hadn't seen Bones as long as he hadn't seen me. He missed her. But Bones shook her head. "He's not in the way, Booth," she told me. "It's okay. Just sit here. I'll be done in a minute."

We waited patiently for her to finish, Parker playing with her hair unthinkingly.

When she was finally done, she said she had to give Cam the case file. Cam had to okay all the evidence recorded before they could hand over the file to the FBI. She started to put Parker down, but he clung on to her, legs around her middle, arms around her neck. She laughed.

"Parker," I admonished. My 'strict dad' voice didn't do anything except make him shoot me a puppy dog look and bury his head in her shoulder.

Bones wrapped an arm around him while the other held the case file. "Don't worry, Booth. I've got him. I'll just go over to Cam's office and hand this over to her, and we can go."

I nodded, and watched as she walked out of the office, my son in her arms. A beautiful sight. Parker peeked at me over her shoulder and grinned triumphantly. I laughed, shaking my head.

Maybe I shouldn't have taught him that trick.

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

Parker was curled around my hip, his arms around me. I held him up with one arm while the other held the case file. He wasn't all the heavy, so I didn't worry about dropping him. One of his hands played with the necklace I wore. We were both silent for a while, but I didn't mind. It wasn't an awkward kind of silent, just a contented one.

"I don't like Utah," he announced suddenly.

I looked down at him, surprised. "Not even a little?" I asked, secretly happy. Booth had been torn up about Rebecca taking these sudden decisions in Parker's life and not including him. Then I felt bad-I was happy that Parker had a bad time? No, I wasn't happy about that. I was just happy he was happier with Booth.

Parker shook his head. "I didn't make ne friends," he informed me, his bottom lip quivering. I smiled, kissing his forehead lightly. "And I missed you and daddy."

I stopped walking for a bit. He missed _me_? I expected him to miss his own father, especially since his father is Booth. But me? I'm…Flattered.

"Your dad missed you too, you know?" I told him quietly. "He wouldn't stop talking about you."

Parker smiled instantly. "What about you?"

I grinned. "I didn't have a lot of stories to tell, but I enjoyed hearing your dad talk about you," I replied honestly.

Parker giggled, reaching up to kiss my cheek.

I laughed along with him, pausing only to knock on Cam's office door. She looked up from her computer screen, then took in the sight in front of her. A look of surprise crossed her features. "Isn't this Parker?" she asked, smiling brightly at him. I winced. I've always hated it as a kid whenever adult used false tones with me. Judging from the look on Parker's face, he hated it too. I don't think Cam noticed, because she continued to grin falsely at him.

Parker reacted the same way his dad did. It was easy for me to understand what he feels. Booth thought that my being around Parker and my ability to connect with him was some sort of sign that I was meant to be a mother.

He didn't know that it was just because of him. Only Booth.

"Yes," I said quickly. "This is Parker, Booth's son."

Cam frowned at me. "I know that, Dr. Brennan," she said irritably.

"Then why did you ask?" I raised an eyebrow. Was this one of those jokes people made I never really understood?

Cam sighed, shaking her head. "Why is he with you?"

"Booth is in my office. I was just taking Parker with me for a little bit," I replied ambiguously, not wanting to spend time explaining myself to her. Besides, if I explained, I would have to tell her everything. I wasn't comfortable with that. Even if I was, Angela would kill me for telling someone else first.

Cam narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously. I placed the file on her table, wanting to leave. Cam used to be a cop-she could sense when someone was lying. She wasn't as good as Booth, but enough to know that I'm holding something back. I didn't want to be questioned by her about it.

"I just came by to hand you the case file," I told her, nodding at it. "I'll just go now."

Cam shifted her gaze to Parker and smiled at him again. "Parker it was very nice to see you again. I hope to see you again soon. Okay?"

Parker shrugged. "If daddy brings me here," was his answer. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, and I felt his breath on my skin. I smiled, running a hand through his hair soothingly. I don't think he liked Cam that much.

That was fine by me.

"Well, see you, Cam."

I walked briskly out the door, and slowed down when we were far enough away from her office. Parker lifted his head to look at me, and smiled. "Can we go eat pizza and ice-cream now?" he asked me, pouting again.

I shook my head, amused. He used that every time he wanted something-and every time I fell for it. "Yes, let's go get your dad and go," I smiled.

He seemed to cheer up at the idea, and looked around wildly for Booth. I spotted him waiting for us near the platform. I watched as Angela approached him, an anxious look on her face. She opened her mouth to speak to him, but I reached them before she could. For whatever reason, she stopped talking the moment I reached.

"I'll just…Pick this up another time," she said lamely, smiling at me. I smiled back.

Parker had half-hid in my shoulder when we reached Angela. I guessed he didn't take too well with strangers either. "Parker, meet my best friend, Angela," I said.

He immediately raised his head. His eyes traveling between Angela and me. His eyes lit up and he smiled genuinely at Angela. "Hi!"

Angela laughed. "I guess all he needed was your okay," she teased.

I frowned at her. "I don't know what that means."

Booth and Angela laughed, as if I had just made a joke, but I was still clueless. Finally, I huffed, putting Parker down. "I'm going to go get my things. Try to hold yourself together, Booth, until I get back," I rolled my eyes at him.

He grinned, taking Parker's hand. "Hurry, will you?"

I shook my head. Like father, like son.

_Took a little longer, and I'm sorry. I hope you enjoyed it. Whatever your thoughts are, please review. Thank you very much. And know that I'm working on Chapter 13 right now._


	13. Pizza and IceCream

_**A/N: **More Parker fluff!!! Yay!_

_**Disclaimer:** Isn't it really obvious if I'm writing FAN fiction??_

_**POVs:** T. Brennan_

________________________________________________________________________________

Booth had wanted me to experience a Booth Boys Movie Night. I had no idea what that meant. Apparently, it included a stop at the grocery store.

Booth got us the ready made pizza crust, and bought ingredients for the sauce, and the toppings. When I asked, he just said that it was part of the movie night. Apparently, his mother had been a wonderful cook, and had taught him everything she knew. It had become a tradition for Booth and Parker to make pizza together and have ice cream on movie nights.

After the grocery store, we went to the DVD rental shop. Parker chose the Lion King and Madagascar.

"Didn't we already watch that?" I whispered to Booth.

He shook his head. "No, that was the sequel. This is the first one…"

A sequel on animals in the wild? Hmm. Alright then.

We went back to the SUV, and Booth drove us back to his place. I still didn't have a TV yet, so we had to go back to his house. Not that I minded.

I actually missed this place. After coming back from Virginia, we'd decided that 'going slow' didn't include sleepovers just yet. So we'd held it off. We were supposed to go on a first date this Saturday, but this was Booth's time with Parker. So he's taking me out next week.

It's strange how we just went backwards-kiss, sleep over, then our first date.

Still, I missed it here. In the short amount of time we've professed our…Feelings for each other, I'd grown accustomed to waking up in the same bed as Booth, seeing him the first thing in the morning. I've never been so attached to a man-to anyone, really-like this before. It was surreal.

I almost sighed in happiness when we stepped into his apartment. Booth was carrying the grocery bags-I was carrying Parker and his overnight bag. "Parks, why don't you go get everything settled in your room, and wash your hands before helping me make the pizza, 'kay?" Booth smiled at his son.

Parker nodded, jumping down from my arms and taking his overnight bag. I watched him run in the direction of his bedroom, then walked into the kitchen to help Booth. I noticed the bag of DVDs on the counter, and smiled. Booth wanted me to watch as many movies as possible, so that I would get some pop culture reference when needed be. Of course, whenever Parker came around, that meant animation movies. I liked those, too, no matter how illogical they are.

Parker came rushing into the kitchen. "I'm back!" he announced giddily. "Let's start!"

The next hour was spent teaching me how to make pizza the Booth way. Apparently, they had a Booth way for everything. They "let" me help, though all I ended up doing was getting sauce smeared on my cheek.

Finally, they placed the pizza in the oven, and I sighed. "Tired, Bones?" Booth grinned at me knowingly, placing his arms around me.

I groaned, dropping my head on his shoulder. "How do you manage to even stay on your feet at this point?" I asked, my voice muffled because I had spoken directly into his shirt.

He chuckled. "It's the pie. We're on sugar high," he said teasingly.

I rolled my eyes, pulling back to glare at him playfully. I glanced down at my clothes-they were streaked with sauce. Booth noticed my gaze and smiled. "Come on, you can get into the shower first. I'll lend you something to wear."

Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

******************************************************************************

I stepped out of the bathroom in the same clothes I'd left in Booth's apartment a few days back. I had forgotten all about those, until Booth gave them to me before I showered, cleaned and folded. I had gotten embarrassed about it, of course. But Booth had left his clothes at mine before when we ordered Chinese takeout and he'd gone home late. I'd washed them too. Only we weren't dating back then.

Booth was in the kitchen, peeking at the pizza in the oven. Parker, sitting at the table, noticed me first. He smiled widely at me, and it was impossible not to reciprocate. Booth straightened up, and saw me. He grinned at the clothes in my hand. "I…Don't know what to do with these," I told him truthfully.

Booth shrugged. "Put them in the laundry basket," he nodded towards the far end of the kitchen.

I raised my eyebrow. That didn't seem fair. "Booth, I'm not going to do that!" I said incredulously.

"Why not?"

"_Because_. You can't wash my clothes!"

"I did it before."

"I know, but I didn't remember that. It wasn't intentional. You should have just thrown it away," I mused.

He laughed. "It could have been your favorite shirt. I didn't want to risk you killing me."

I scowled at him. It was _not _my favorite shirt, and I would _not _have killed him even if it was. Booth knew both of this.

"Just put them in the laundry basket, Temperance. It's not a big deal," he smiled, walking closer to me. He placed his hands on either side of my waist, and before I could protest, he'd brushed his lips softly across mine.

My eyes widened and I shot an alarmed look at Parker. He had tilted his head to one side and was watching us. He didn't look angry, or disgusted, or sad. He looked…contemplative. And then he smiled, and the relief came crashing down on me.

Booth chuckled, and nudged me in the direction of the laundry basket. I sighed, complying. I didn't exactly have anywhere else to put these anyway. "Is pizza ready yet?" I asked eagerly.

Parker giggled at me excitement and shook his head. "Not yet. But you can't eat it first, okay? Daddy and I have to clean up, then we can eat it together when we watch Lion King!" he told me.

I nodded my head. "I won't eat it without you or your dad."

He seemed contented with this, and tugged at Booth's hand. "Come on, daddy, let's go! I can't wait for movie night!"

******************************************************************************

As it turned out, the Lion King wasn't all that bad. I liked the movie, and its significance. Obviously, so did Parker and Booth. We finished the entire pizza before the movie was halfway done, but Booth wanted to wait until Madagascar to start before getting the ice-cream. He said that Parker would only get hungry again if they started before.

Once the credits for the Lion King rolled, Booth jumped off the couch. "Alright!" He clapped his hands together. "Who's ready for the Booth Boys Special Sundaes?" he asked in an excited voice. This was clearly to rouse Parker from his half-asleep state.

Parker immediately brightened up at the idea and jumped off the couch as well. "Yeah!" he yelled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up, "Come on, Dr. Bones! Time to get our ice-cream!"

I don't understand why they were both so excited about ice-cream.

We reached the kitchen in record time, and Parker and I waited patiently by the island as Booth pulled out the ice-cream from the refrigerator. I pulled out three bowls for us. My jaw dropped at the sight in front of me. Booth had placed three different tubs of ice-cream on the table, with cherries, sprinkles and caramel syrup. Booth and Parker exchanged an amused glance at the look I gave them. I glared witheringly at Booth, and Parker giggled.

"Booth!" I gasped, aghast. "You let him eat…This!?" I was shocked. This much sugar in a little boy was dangerous!

"Relax, Bones. We've got time. After dinner, he'll walk it off, and go to bed, no big deal," he shrugged, taking the bowls from me. I opened my mouth to argue, but he shook his head. "No health lessons today, Bones. Just go with me on this one, okay?"

I was going to have to live in the gym for a month, but I nodded my head, still glaring. I watched in amazement as they prepared their sundaes. I studied the names on the ice-cream tubs. Names I couldn't ever believe were ice-cream. New York Super Fudge Chunk, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. I frowned. What sort of names were these? I noticed the label. Ben & Jerry. Huh. I'll have to ask Angela.

Once he's scooped the ice-cream into the bowls, Booth placed the sprinkles and two cherries in each bowl, and doused the mix with caramel syrup. I wondered if anyone could eat that without getting sick.

Booth handed one bowl to Parker, one to me, and took the last one for himself. "Let's go back to the living room," he tilted his head to the side, grabbing three spoons on his way out.

Parker placed Madagascar into the DVD player, and I sat back. I eyed the bowl condescendingly, and Booth caught it. Laughing, he leaned over, the arm around my waist pulling me closer to him. "Trust me, Temperance," he whispered in my ear.

"I'll be two hundred pounds by the end of this month if you keep feeding me like this, Booth," I warned him, digging my spoon into the ice-cream and scooping up a bit of it.

He kissed me on the cheek. "I'll still think you are the most beautiful woman on the planet," he smiled, leaning his forehead against the side of my hair.

The ice-cream was sweet, too sweet. It reminded me of pie. But I liked it. It was enjoyable. And while I would be very tired after consuming all this sugar, I didn't mind it. Booth and Parker were happy enough to convince me.

Parker fell asleep halfway through Madagascar, his bowl of ice-cream empty and sitting abandoned on the coffee table. Booth picked him up to put him in bed. I glanced at the clock. We still had about an hour and a half before dinner time. I couldn't really imagine eating anything else for a long time.

Booth came out of Parker's bedroom just as I finished cleaning the dishes, and putting everything back in its place. He smiled at me at the kitchen door. "Aw, you didn't have to do that, Bones," he said, coming over to kiss me on the forehead.

"You would rather your house be infested with ants?" I asked, teasing.

He laughed, going over to the fridge. I stared at him incredulously. "You're still going to eat after all of that?" I asked, shocked.

Booth grinned. "Not now, Bones. I'm preparing dinner," he explained.

"We just ate enough for an army."

"I can say with conviction that that isn't true. Besides, we ate pizza and ice-cream. We're full now, but in a few hours, we'd be hungry all over again. Parker's going to wake up searching for food, too," he told me.

I highly doubted that. I stood by my statement. We had eaten too much. I felt so bloated. I was going to have to run a mile longer than I usually would. Maybe put in a little extra time in cardio tomorrow.

Still, I watched him prepare his spaghetti. It was his "secret recipe", and he refused to tell me, even when I said I'd let him in on my secret to my most recent mac and cheese recipe-the one he'd gotten so addicted to. "I like it better when you cook for me," he'd shrugged.

I sighed, giving up and watching. Even though I probably won't admit it, I liked seeing him cook. It was just so different than the Seeley Booth I know at work.

At the Jeffersonian, and out on the field, I know him as Agent Booth. Dedicated, protector, someone who wants to know the truth and serve justice. When we hung out, eat takeout, or go to Wong Foo's, he's Booth, my best friend. Someone I can confide in, and someone who confides in me. When I see him with Parker, he's a dad who wants nothing more than to be everything to his son.

But right here, when he's doing these things like cooking, and making me sundaes, and hugging me to him while I watch kid movies with Parker in my lap, he's just Seeley.

That's something I'll never take for granted.

I reached out to help him a few times, but he swatted my hands away, saying that he wanted me to relax, and not work.

"It's disconcerting to just sit and do nothing, Booth," I'd grumbled.

"You work all the time, Bones. More than is healthy. Just relax, okay? I want you to not do anything while you're with me. Just have fun," he'd replied.

When he'd finally finished, it was well over seven. Parker was still asleep, but the sugar was taking its toll on me. Instead of feeling sleepy, I was energized. I felt wide awake.

Booth must have noticed this, because he chuckled. "I have an idea," he said, coming up to me and wrapping his arms around me from the back. I turned my head to the side slightly to look at him. "What would that be?" I asked, smirking a little.

"Movie," he said triumphantly.

I groaned. Another movie? As eager as I am to learn, I think I had my fill of pop culture for the day.

Booth chuckled. "No, really. Just go with me on this one," he said. "Go into the living room. I'll come out with the spaghetti, and some wine."

I did as was told, feeling a little foolish for not being able to help. But Booth wanted me to relax, so I just sat on the couch, waiting for him.

When he finally came out, he was juggling two plates of spaghetti. "I'll be right back!" he said. A few minutes later, he came out with two glasses of wine, and a DVD box. I waited for him to put in the movie, sipping the wine in my hands.

"Titanic," he declared proudly, coming to sit next to me.

I frowned. "The ship?" We were going to watch a documentary of some sort on the sinking of the ill fated ship? I didn't think Booth would like that.

Booth stared at me, incredulous. "You're completely serious, aren't you?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow and he sighed. "Not the ship…Well, yeah, the ship's a factor. It's a love story, Bones. These two people meet on the Titanic. It's the sinking of the ship through their eyes," he explained.

"Oh…" I guess that would make more sense for a movie. It's not completely fictional, though, right?

Booth wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close so that my back was tucked against his chest. I grabbed my plate of spaghetti and started to eat. Booth was right-I was starting to get hungry again.

I watched as the old woman begun to tell her tale.

******************************************************************************

I _thought _I'd managed to conceal my tears at the end when Jack Dawson died. But Booth was Booth. He caught it all.

"Are you getting sentimental over the death of a fictional character, Dr. Brennan?" he asked, feigning shock.

I glared at him, and he relented. Though he did nothing to hide his laughter. "Sorry, Bones, I couldn't help myself," he apologized. "We've all cried watching Titanic, it's nothing to be ashamed of…"

Then he seemed to catch himself. "And when I said 'we', I meant 'they', as in women and wimpy men. I am not a wimpy man."

"No," I said, clearly amused.

"I'm a strong man," he added.

"Strong," I agreed, playing along.

"I didn't cry."

"Not a single tear."

"I was…Moved. But no tears."

"Of course not."

"I'm FBI! We don't cry…I didn't cry," he emphasized.

"Not at all."

Booth sighed, and glanced at me. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Nope," I said, while I nodded my head yes. Booth scowled and my amused grin widened.

He glanced at the clock. "Well, it's late. But I should wake Parker a bit and ask if he's hungry. I don't want him waking up at midnight, hungry," he gently pried himself from me and climbed off the couch.

I took the plates and the glass of wine, walking over to the kitchen. I was just finishing up when Booth came in. "I told you to relax," he said, burying his face in my hair.

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my lips to his throat. "I am relaxed," I informed him, my mouth moving against his skin.

He growled, pulling my head up for a kiss. I gripped at him, my hands traveling to his neck to pull myself closer to him. He'd pressed me up against the wall next to the sink before I even had the time to breathe. "Booth!" I gasped, as his lips traveled down to my throat. He ignored me.

Something about his primal instincts was making me very weak-kneed. His hands slipped under my shirt, and crept up the sides of my body. I moaned into his mouth, my eyes rolling back as I shut them close, reveling in the feel of his warm hands.

Logic seeped into my mind, and I pulled back. "Booth!" I gasped again, holding him away from me this time. I growled, impatient, and begun to kiss my palm. I giggled breathlessly. "Parker's here," I reminded him.

"He's asleep."

"We're in the kitchen…"

Booth sighed, but he was smiling widely. "Then let's take this to the bedroom," he said, picking me up so quickly I barely had time to register it. I gave a small shriek of surprise, then laughed as he ran all the way to his room, carrying me in his arms.

_More Parker for their weekend before they go to the Jeffersonian on Monday-I'm going to be exploring their work relationship in chapter 15. See how it goes when Angela AND Cam notice the slight differences in their dynamics. Yeah, I know, Cam's on the good side now, but just remember that for the purpose of this story, I want her evil and jealous and bitchy. It's more fun that way._

_P.S. I know the sundae thing sounds crazy, but it's what I do whenever I'm having a bad day. I know they weren't exactly upset in that scene, but it sounded fun anyway._

_Tell me what you think of this chapter, will you?? Thank you!!!_


	14. Picnics and Sunday Evening

_**A/N:**__ Parker's weekend and Rebecca's conversation with Booth about 'Dr. Bones'._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Bones, I'm just writing some fan fiction…_

_**POVs:**__ S. Booth, T. Brennan, Rebecca S._

______________________________________________________________________________

_T. Brennan's POV_

He kicked the door shut with his foot, his lips locked on mine. I could barely think right now-a very dangerous thing. Booth was still carrying me, and I had wrapped my legs around his waist. Normally, I would hate this-the man acting like an alpha-male. And usually I would tell Booth that he was annoying me with his alpha male tendencies. But right now? He made me feel safe, protected…And loved. I wanted nothing more than to feel him, all of him, and fall together with him.

Booth gently laid me down on the bed and climbed on top of me. I groaned, feeling his arousal pressed into my thigh. He smiled into the kiss, and I almost rolled my eyes at him-if I could get my brain to function, that is. He was being cocky even now! How is that fair?

He pulled his lips away from mine, and I felt the loss of his warmth instantly. I didn't like it. I reached for him blindly, attempting to pull him closer, but he just laughed softly. His breath tickled the my skin. I scowled at him in the darkness.

I felt Booth's lips move to my jaw, my chin, down my throat. I gasped, feeling him bite at the skin of my throat gently, sucking at it. My arms were trembling, but I kept them locked around his neck. My entire body was trembling. Every single one of my senses were heightened. I could feel so many emotions at this point it was exhausting.

But I didn't want Booth to stop. This was Booth, I…Loved him. I wasn't ready to admit it, not aloud, not to him or to anyone else. But I loved him. And I think that he knew that even if we haven't said it yet. I knew he loved me. Love goes both ways, I've been told.

I don't think I ever really believed in love. It's been romanticized for far too long. Love is nothing more than chemicals released in the body. At least, that's what I believed. I still do, in the scientific part of my brain. The rest of me believe that love is love, it's unexplainable. It's just love. Just Booth.

Booth peppered kisses up my throat to capture my lips in his again. I moaned into his mouth-his lips were so soft, so warm. It felt like home, like I finally belonged. I've never felt like this before. Especially not when I'm kissing a man.

Suddenly Booth pulled back slightly. His arms still formed an iron cage around me, his face barely an inch away from mine. I blinked, my eyes getting accustomed to the darkness, and gasped when I saw the desire in his brown irises.

My fingers at the back of his neck stroked his hair softly, as I drew him in for another kiss. Why did he pull back? He gave in for a little while, allowing me entrance to his mouth. I battled for dominance, my tongue seeking his.

Then he pulled back again. I groaned, and he grinned at me. "You're right, Bones," he whispered.

I usually was right. But did he feel the need to tell me this now, of all ungodly times? "About what?" I asked him, trying to catch my breath.

"Parker's here, we can't do this now."

I tried to quell the disappointment in me. "But…You just…"

He chuckled softly. "I know. I'm sorry but," he leaned closer and, without warning, gently bit my earlobe. I gasped, and subconsciously arched into him. He sucked softly on my earlobe for a few moments before letting it go. He didn't move back, however, as he whispered directly into my ear, "If I were to make love to you right now, you will scream."

I felt a pleasant shudder running through my body at his words, and his hands which ran down the sides of my body.

"And we would wake him," he said, as he pulled back to look at me innocently.

I groaned again, and swatted him on the shoulder. "You're a tease, you know that, Booth?" I scowled playfully at him.

He just laughed again, and leant down to kiss me softly. Without releasing me, he pulled me further up the bed with him, and pulled back the covers. We settled into the bed and Booth pulled the duvet around us. I snuggled into him, feeling warm and comfortable.

"Soon, Bones," he promised in a low voice. "I wouldn't want to rush us."

At this, I looked up at him. He was smiling down at me, his eyes kind and understanding, and loving. He knew I would be scared off, knew that at some point, I would need time to think things through. Maybe even need to figure it all out on my own. That's just the way I am, and it was hard for me to break the habit. He didn't want to rush me, make it easier for me to push 'us' away. He still wanted to be with me through it all.

I reached up a little and kissed his jaw. "Thank you, Booth," I whispered, and settled back into his chest, closing my eyes. I felt his arms around me tightened and smiled.

******************************************************************************

I woke up earlier than I probably should after last night's events-Booth decided that he had insomnia out of the blue and wanted to make out to tire him out.

We still haven't had sex yet, which I am for once happy about. We haven't gone on a first date. That was Booth's reason. But I know that he's going slow for me, and I'm grateful. I'm trying my hardest to just stay put and not run away.

It was all a little too much…Booth and Parker all at the same time. Two weeks ago, I was on my own, and now it felt like I've gained a family. It was a nice feeling, but scary at the same time. I wanted to take it one step at a time, and Booth was willing to give me that. I couldn't be more grateful or happier.

Booth was still sleeping when I woke up, so it was no use trying to get up. He had a habit of sleeping somewhat on top of me. I'd wake up and find his arm slung around me, his legs over my own. It didn't stop me from trying to push his body away so I could move, but he was too big. I settled for tracing patterns on his bare chest…He also had a habit of going to sleep in nothing but his boxers. Something I didn't mind at all. Of course, his boxers were the strangest ones I've ever seen. He was wearing one with skulls all over it right now. I think he mumbled something about pirates last night…

Just thinking about last night made me blush. I've never done that before-blush at the thought of kissing a man. I don't think I've ever blushed when I thought of sex, either, but this was just kissing…What on earth was Booth doing to me?

I sighed, and scrutinized Booth's closed eyes and his reaction to me. He was still fast asleep. I peeked at the alarm clock on the bedside table and groaned. Seven thirty in the morning. We needed to get up already!

"Booth…" I whispered in his ear, trying to rouse him. I would have yelled, but I didn't know if Parker was up already or not, and I didn't want to wake him just yet if he wasn't.

"Dr. Bones?" Parker's sleepy voice came from the doorway. I started, then panicked. _Come on, Booth, you were a Ranger…FBI don't hire heavy sleepers, do they?_

"Hey, Parker," I greeted him, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

Parker's little feet pitter pattered all the way to my side of the bed, and he glanced at Booth sleeping. "Isn't daddy going to wake up?" he pouted.

I laughed. He didn't seem too perturbed by Booth and me in the same bed. In fact, he seemed absolutely at ease. Why do small children take everything much better than adults?

"I'm trying to wake him, but it won't work," I told him. "Will you help me?" I grinned.

Parker smiled mischievously back, and climbed on the bed. I reached out an arm to steady him, and he climbed on top of me, bending on all fours to peer at his dad. Then he placed his mouth in Booth's ear, and shouted, "Daddy! Wake up! Wake up! Fire!"

I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle. I would have reprimanded Parker for lying to Booth, but it seemed to do the job. Booth started and sat up, alert and panicking. Parker collapsed on the bed on top of me, and we both ended up laughing. Booth scowled at us. "Parks!" he glared. "That wasn't nice!"

"So is ignoring me when I tell you to wake up because you're sleeping on top of me and making half my body numb," I informed him, still laughing.

Booth shook his head, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Then he smiled at us, slow and devious, and said, "So you think that's funny, huh?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Booth…?" I asked, my eyes narrowing into suspicious slits. "What are you-" Before I even had the chance to finish, Booth had pounced on us, one hand tickling Parker's tiny body, the other tickling me.

We both burst out into uncontrollable fits of laughter. "Daddy!" Parker squealed. "Stop, daddy!"

"Booth!" I shrieked, squirming to get away from his hands.

After a while, Booth gave up and all three of us sat huddled on the bed, smiling. Parker broke the silence, "Daddy? I'm hungry…"

Booth laughed. "Well, I told you to wake up yesterday. I made spaghetti."

Parker's eyes lit up. "Can I have that for breakfast?"

"If you want."

"Booth…"

"Come on, we got to eat it and he didn't. Spaghetti's a good thing," he assured me.

I rolled my eyes at father and son, and climbed out of the bed. "I've got to go to the lab," I said, remembering suddenly.

"It's Saturday," Booth reminded me.

"I know that, Booth, but they found remains in our most recent dig site, and they sent it last night. Zach already e-mailed me the details, but I'm going to have to identify the-"

"How about less talk of remains and death and skeletons while we're here?" Booth said, covering Parker's ears. I shot them both apologetic looks.

Parker shoved Booth's hands aside, his eyes gleaming. "Do I get to see the skeleton?" he asked excitedly.

I was about to answer when Booth cut me off. "Uh, bub, I don't think that's such a good idea," he said nervously. Parker turned to him, lip quivering, eyes pleading. "Your mom would throw a fit, Parks, she won't like it."

Parker grumbled and scooted further into the covers, burying himself underneath the duvet. I felt horrible-I didn't know Parker wanted to see bones. I personally have no aversion to it whatsoever, but if Rebecca felt that way…I had no right to change the way she was parenting Parker. And now he was disappointed.

"Come on, Parks. We'll go to the park, have a picnic, how's that sound?"

Parker mumbled something neither Booth nor I could make out. I climbed back into bed, and scooted under the duvet myself. I blinked at the darkness, and found myself right next to Parker. He did look upset, and I felt bad for him.

"Come on, Parker. The park sounds like fun," I said to him. He merely shrugged. "I don't know what it is you do at the park, but don't you want to spend time with your dad?"

"I wanna see how you and daddy play superhero, and catch the bad guys," he told me. To my utter surprise, he wrapped his arms around my middle and snuggled his head into my stomach. I ran my hand gently through his hair, soothing him.

"But it's dangerous," I protested. "And so far, the bad guys aren't showing themselves today… Your dad really wants to take you to the park."

He looked up at me. "Will you come?"

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. I wanted to go back to the lab, to see the remains found. They were waiting for me. But it was Booth and Parker. I don't know if Booth wanted me there or not…But it was Saturday. Technically, I'm not in the wrong if I came in on Monday to identify the remains.

"Of course she'll come!" Booth's voice sounded muffled because of the duvet. Parker and I grinned at each other and scooted up, poking our heads above the duvet so that we could look at Booth.

"It's Saturday, Bones. No one goes to work on the weekends," he told me. I sighed. Well, I could do with Booth's pancakes…And spending time with Booth and Parker wouldn't be so bad…Not at all. I'd missed Parker, as strange as that sounds. He's an amazing little boy, and sometimes he has a thirst for knowledge so strong, it made _me _dizzy.

"I'm calling dibs on the bathroom," I told them.

******************************************************************************

"Yes!" Parker cried as he "won" his third "game" with Booth. They were playing football in the park, and I suspected Booth was letting him win after the first one. Booth had told me that this way his way of boosting Parker's confidence, and with time, he won't be so shy and have so much self-doubt anymore.

I rolled my eyes at both the Booth boys as they made their way to where I was sitting on the picnic blanket. Booth had prepared a picnic for us, and I'd grabbed a book I'd left in his apartment a few weeks back. I didn't know what they would be doing- "Sports are very important to a man, Bones. They build our stamina and help us become stronger, and healthier"- but I certainly wasn't going to be a part of it.

I loved watching Booth and Parker together. They have an amazing father-son connection. I've never seen that, or felt that connection with my father, even when I was a young girl. Theirs was much stronger.

Time and again, I couldn't help wondering how Rebecca could bring herself to separate these two, how she could bring herself to put so much boundaries. Booth loved his son, that much was evident. But has she seen how Parker loves Booth? How much he adored his father? How happy he is whenever Booth's around?

But then again, Booth and Parker had the entire weekend to themselves-they even had half of Friday together. Maybe whatever issues Rebecca had with them had been resolved. Who knew?

Booth and Parker sat on either side of me on the blanket, both sweating. "Time for lunch, Bones," Booth announced, grinning madly. I couldn't help but smile back at him. He was giving me one of those 'I'm-so-happy-right-now-I-can't-help-myself' smiles. And I knew it had everything to do with Parker, so I was doubly happier. Booth deserved being with his son.

I was glad Rebecca was finally seeing that.

Booth pulled out a salad for me and I glanced at him, surprised. "I _do _go to the grocery store now and again, Bones," he chuckled at my shocked expression.

He pulled out some sandwiches, grapes, a few small cups of pudding-to which I had to giggle at, of course-and some apple cider and juice for Parker.

We started on our lunch, Booth and Parker greedily attacking the sandwiches while I started on my salad.

"You'd better hurry up with the salad, Bones," Booth said, chewing on his fourth sandwich and downing an entire glass of apple cider in one gulp.

I watched in amusement and fought back an onslaught of laughter. "Why?" I choked out.

"'cuz daddy and I are gonna finish all the sandwiches," Parker supplied for Booth, cheeks puffed out from being stuffed with too many sandwiches.

That did it for me-I burst out in laughter, throwing my head back and letting it all out.

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

It was Sunday evening. Bones, Parker and I had spent almost the entire weekend together. After our picnic lunch at the park yesterday, Bones and I had taken Parker back to my apartment. He had fallen asleep and woken up around four o'clock in the afternoon, and had insisted Bones played all the board games we had with him. Being Bones, it was the first time she had heard of most of the games. Parker and I spent most of the afternoon left explaining it all to her before I went to order Thai food.

Bones had slept in my arms again, an extremely good feeling. But when she woke up, she'd told me that as much as she enjoyed being around Parker and I, she wanted us to have a day alone together before Parker went back to Rebecca's for two weeks. I wouldn't have him next weekend.

This was her way of saying 'don't gang up on me with that cute little son of yours'. I had complied, even though I wanted her to stay more than anything.

It was an accomplishment that Parker liked her. 'Liked' would be an understatement, really. Loved was more like it. I've never introduced Parker to any of my ex-girlfriends before. And Cam…Well, she'd met Parker once, but Parker hadn't liked her at all. I don't know why, but something about her had made him incredibly quiet.

I thought back to that time when he'd met Cam, and realized that it was during the party Angela had thrown for Bones after she'd returned from her trip to Peru. She had gone as a representative of the Jeffersonian, to lead a team of anthropologists in the identification of a new set of mummies found there. From what I heard, there were three of them. I shuddered at the thought.

I had brought Parker along because first of all, I had him for the entire week since Rebecca wanted to go on a trip alone with Brent for the week. I also wanted to see Bones, after two weeks without her. It had felt like torture-especially when I had to take Zach out into the field. Never have I ever felt like bashing my head into the wall just so I could escape someone before as when I had to be around that kid for fifteen hours a day for fourteen days. It was pure agony. Parker had been excited about seeing his 'Dr. Bones' too. I remembered him jumping up and down, wanting to come along with me, and screaming out his protests at my suggestion that he stayed with the neighbor for a few hours until I got back.

So I had taken him along with me-it wasn't like I was planning on consuming any alcohol when I had to drive back anyway.

_I arrived at Hodgins' mansion of a house a little after seven. It was going to be a tiny little get together, considering Bones didn't like a big party all for her, and Hodgins had a conspiracy theory for everyone that wasn't in our little family of a squint squad._

_Parker had been enthralled by the huge house and even I, who had been there a few times, was awestruck._

"_Hey, man," Hodgins greeted him. He smiled down at Parker. "Hey, Parker! I didn't know you were coming."_

_Parker smiled brightly at Hodgins as he picked him up. "Bug," he squealed, as Hodgins hung him upside down. Hodgins' name had been too difficult for Parker to pronounce, being five and all, so he'd gotten used to calling him 'Bug'. Hodgins didn't mind the nickname, only if it came from Parker._

_I loved that Parker was so acquainted with the squint squad. As long as they didn't turn him into a squint himself. These were my co-workers, my friends. People I'd grown to care for. Over the years, we'd all become more or less a family. Just like I'd told Bones._

_Speaking of…There she was. Sitting in between Zach and Angela in the living room. She had a glass of champagne in her hand, though it was still half full. She was speaking excitedly, and Zach was hanging on every word. I could only assume that she was relegating her tales of adventure in Peru. Although I wasn't interested in mummies of any kind, I was a little envious that I wasn't there with her. Was it too much to ask for Bones to want me to come along every once in a while?_

_Wait, what? What am I thinking? I shook my head._

"_Dr. Bones!" Parker squealed, noticing Bones as well. She looked up at the sound of her name, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Parker. For someone who claimed not to have any maternal instincts, she was a natural with my son._

_That just made me love her more._

_Again, I caught myself. Love her? Love Bones? Oh, God. That's just GREAT._

_Bones quickly placed the champagne on the table as Parker squirmed away from Hodgins, and ran to her. He climbed onto her lap and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck. How I wished I could do the same thing._

"_Parker, how have you been?" she asked, smiling tenderly at him._

_I approached them, and Angela subtly stood up to stand sit on Hodgins' lap on the armchair he was sitting in._

_I sat where she had vacated, right next to Bones, and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to my side. "Welcome back, Bones," I grinned at her. She smiled back at me, and I swear there couldn't be anything in the world more beautiful than that._

"_Great!" Parker exclaimed, and launched into a vivid description of his week in school, with constant interruptions from Zach. Finally, he stopped to take a breath and looked adoringly at Bones. "Daddy said you went on holiday!"_

_Bones smiled widely at him, and nodded her head. "Yes, I did. I went to Peru."_

_Parker's eyes widened. "In Africa?" he asked giddily._

_I glanced worriedly at Bones, but she just stared calmly at me, smiling and nodded her head. "Yes. In Africa."_

"_Cool!"_

_Zach looked at Bones strangely. "Dr. Brennan, Peru isn't-"_

"_Zach, remember I have a gun," I said sharply, and he fell silent._

_Angela and Hodgins snickered from their place in the armchair._

_Parker began telling Bones about the movie Madagascar, which was also in Africa, as I'd told him. He told her all about the talking animals-the lion, the zebra, the hippo and the giraffe. I watched Bones listening intently to my son, and didn't even hear the doorbell ring._

"_Seeley!"_

_I looked up at the sound of my voice, and found a smiling Cam entering the room. I smiled back at her half-heartedly. I cared for Cam, I wouldn't want anything to happen to her. But I found myself feeling less and less enthusiastic about spending time with her alone, or even being in the same room with her. Not to mention she had just interrupted Bones and Parker together._

_With a jolt, I realized that my arm was still around Bones and I withdrew it reluctantly._

_I watched with wary eyes as she sauntered over to me, and bent to kiss me on the lips. My eyes grew wide as I whipped my head around to look at Parker. I'd never done that in front of him, with anyone! A look somewhere between disgust and disappointment crossed his features, but before I could properly understand it, he had buried his face in Bones' hair._

_I watched as, subconsciously, Bones ran her fingers gently through his hair._

_Cam appeared to notice this and smiled at Parker, though he didn't see it. "Who is this?" she asked, her voice bright and cheery. I winced internally. It was one of those fake voices adults put on to pacify children. I knew Parker hated that._

"_This is Parker, my son," I introduced proudly. "Parker?" I called out. He refused to meet my gaze. I watched in amazement as Bones leaned down and whispered something quietly in his ear. He looked up at me finally, and I saw the sadness in his eyes, though I didn't understand why._

"_This is Cam," I gestured to Cam. I didn't explain to him that Cam was my girlfriend. Not when it felt so wrong to say it out loud. Not when it felt wrong at all._

"_Hello, Parker," Cam smiled at him._

"'_lo," Parker mumbled back, before resuming his position, his face in Bones' hair._

_Cam shot me an alarmed look, one that said 'what-did-I-do?' I shrugged at her. I didn't understand myself._

_Bones sensed that Cam and I needed to talk, and she looked down at Parker. "Would you like to go get something to drink, Parks?"_

_He looked up at her and smiled, one hand reaching up to play with the chunky necklace on her neck._

_Bones glanced at me, and raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind?" she asked me softly._

_I smiled, glad that Parker had someone like her to turn to, someone he apparently seemed completely at ease with. I placed a hand on her knee and squeezed it gently. "Not at all, Bones," I said. I smiled at her, and looked her right in the eyes. I wanted her to know how very thankful I am for her, and she smiled back, nodding her head. She'd gotten my message._

_I watched her stand, Parker still cradled in her arms, and walked away from the couch in the direction of the kitchen. I think that's where the kitchen was._

_Cam shrugged off her shawl and walked in front of me, blocking my sight for the moment. She sat where Bones was, and the difference between them had never been more pronounced. I wanted more than anything to have Bones and my son sitting where Cam was at the moment._

"_What did I do?" Cam asked worriedly._

_I merely shrugged. "I don't know," I answered truthfully._

"_Maybe G-man junior's not used to seeing his dad with a woman," Angela smirked, though her voice was harsh for someone joking around._

"_He didn't seem all that perturbed being around Dr. Brennan," Cam huffed._

"_She's a natural with him," I murmured, barely even concentrating on the conversation._

So when she had taken her shower, and I had taken mine, and we'd all sat down for breakfast together, Bones had left, hugging Parker goodbye for a much longer time than she would normally hug anyone.

She had kissed me softly on the lips, and had walked out the door.

Parker and I had spent more time just playing football and going to the diner, and watching another movie. Finally, we were on our way to Rebecca's.

"Have you done all your homework, bub?" I asked Parker, who was sitting in the backseat playing with his Gameboy. I had forgotten to check his homework today.

Parker nodded his head without looking up. "Dr. Bones helped me with my homework, daddy," he told me.

I smiled. If that was the case, then I had absolutely nothing to be worried about.

We pulled up in front of Rebecca's house, and I took Parker out of the car, and grabbed his overnight bag. The door swung open just as I reached the porch.

Rebecca smiled at Parker and ruffled his hair as I put him down. "Say goodbye to your dad, Parker," she told him.

I squatted down in front of him and smiled. "Bye, daddy," Parker said sadly. I hugged him to me tightly. I missed him already.

"Bye, bub."

"Tell Dr. Bones thank you, okay?" he said, pulling back.

I nodded my head, and shot a glance at Rebecca, whose features had darkened. "I will, Parks. No worries. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded his head and took the overnight bag I gave him.

Rebecca pasted a smile on her face as she talked to Parker, "Go inside and wash up, Parker. We'll be having dinner soon. I just have to talk to your dad for a little while." He nodded, waved at me one last time, and headed inside.

I watched until he was out of my line of sight.

Rebecca cleared her throat, bringing me back to the present. "I told you not to have her involved in his life, Seeley," she whispered, her voice harsh.

I shook my head. "He cares for her, Rebecca," I said slowly. One of us losing our temper would be enough. I wanted her to understand, not to get angrier and do something rash. "And she cares for him. I can't force them to not see each other again."

"I'm his mother. You're his father. No one else needs to actually see him," she reminded me.

"If that was the case, then I would say that Brent didn't need to see him, as well," I shot back. I could see her anger flaring, and added quickly, "I'm not saying that, Rebecca. I know you and Brent are serious about each other. And I don't really know where Bones and I are at right now, but she means everything to me, next to Parker. And she's not just some girlfriend, you know? She's my best friend. My partner. I would never have her near Parker if I didn't trust her enough."

Rebecca was silent.

"Please, Rebecca, you know I would never endanger our son. You know that. I'm a good father. Bones is…She's just Bones. And she would never harm Parker in any way. I'm just saying, Rebecca, give her a chance, the way I gave Brent a chance."

She was still silent, still unmoving, her eyes betraying nothing. I waited with bated breath to await her verdict.

******************************************************************************

_Rebecca S's POV_

I watched Seeley give his speech, and watched him wait for what I had to say. I knew how much he cared for Dr. Brennan, I saw it in the way he spoke of her, the way he looked at her, the way he smiled at her.

I wasn't jealous of that.

I was jealous of Dr. Brennan's relationship with Parker.

God only knows I could be a better mother sometimes, but I'm not. I'm only human. I make mistakes sometimes. And I know my social life hasn't been easy on Parker. But I didn't want to be alone, so I go from one boyfriend to the next. No one who could hurt Parker, of course, but still…It was a lot for him to handle, so young and all.

But this Dr. Bones materialize out of nowhere, took over Seeley's life, and now she has taken over Parker's life, too.

I could see how much he adored her, in the way he spoke of her. And then I found out that she and Seeley are now together…If they really are the real deal, if they get married and all that, she would be Parker's step-mom. She would be his other mother. And he would love her.

Parker would love her.

How do I handle that? How could any mother share their son with another woman? It made no sense to me.

But I see Parker, how happy he was, and how hurt Seeley was by my decisions and my behavior and remarks.

I was the one hurting them. I was the bad guy in their eyes, in Parker's eyes, if I refused to allow her into their lives.

So I looked up into his brown eyes, identical to my son's, took a deep breath, and said the hardest thing I've ever had to say.

"Fine, Seeley. I'll allow it."

His face broke out into a relieved grin, and I felt a small amount of satisfaction at this. I held the power here, and he knew it. Because we were never married, I didn't have to let him see Parker, but I did. How could I not-Parker loved him so much.

And he was a good father, I couldn't deny that.

"But one hair out of place, Seeley…" I warned.

"That will never happen," he was quick to defend 'Bones'. I glared at him, hands on my hips. I was still unhappy about this. He backed off, hands up in surrender. "I will make sure of that," he added.

I nodded my head, and waved him goodbye. As I closed the door behind me, I sighed, tired. So maybe Parker liked Dr. Brennan enough. But I was his mother. He loved me. I was better.

I glanced up at the flight of stairs with tired eyes.

I _had _to be better.

_So?? How do you like it?? It's longer than usual. Over 5000 words. But I hope you liked it. Please, please, please review and tell me what you think. What were your thoughts on Booth holding out on Brennan? What did you think of Rebecca's jealousy of Parker and Brennan's relationship? And did you enjoy the little flashback to when Booth and Cam were dating? Tell me, tell me._

_Thank you!!!_

_P.S. I hope the flashback part in italic wasn't all that confusing. And, also, I wanted this whole Rebecca thing to settle first, before I bring in the old flame. I don't know, it's just…Three villains at the same time seem too much. Two I can handle, but three just seem like an eleven o'clock soap opera._

_Review!_


	15. Parker's Day Off

_**A/N:** Alright, next chapter. No one really knows, but a few-do you have to be told who-suspects. Also, a pleasant surprise for Brennan._

_**Disclaimer:** Not mine even a little._

_**POVs: **Angela M., T. Brennan, S. Booth_

________________________________________________________________________________

_Angela M.'s POV_

I knew I was probably driving Jack crazy, but I couldn't help it. Jack and Zach think I only suspect Booth and Brennan are together-something I've done since the first time they started working together. Their relationship has grown over the years. No one could deny that.

But I had evidence-first hand eyewitness account from yours sincerely-that they were actually together. That they had broken down whatever barriers there were between them and just got it on! What could be more exciting than that? I feel like squealing in excitement every time they walked into the room. But so far, two weeks, and they haven't slipped.

I expected it, you know? Trying to remain professional, not telling anyone…I don't necessarily accept it wholeheartedly (I'm not the only one waiting for them to fall into each other's arms and declare their love for one another) but I expected it.

I also expected slip-ups. A kiss on the platform. A hug in her office. A little make-out session in a closet somewhere…But nothing! Damn. I'm sure this is all Brennan's doing. She has this impenetrable work ethic.

I love the whole having this a secret and all, but come on! There's so much a girl can take. I wouldn't mind not telling Jack and Zach and anyone else I come into contact with, but they could at least tell me. What's the point in being Bren's best friend if she won't even tell me something as crucial as this?

So here I am, at eight thirty in the morning, tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for Brennan to arrive.

"Babe," Jack said, coming over to me with a dish in his hand. I just thank God he's wearing gloves. "Relax. Maybe there's traffic," he shrugged, smiling at me. He found this amusing.

I scowled at him. "This is Brennan we're talking about, Jack. She usually gets here at six in the morning. It's past eight and she hasn't even made an appearance-"

"If you would just let me drive, you'd see how good of a driver I am," I heard Brennan's voice from behind us. Jack and I both turned to see Booth and Brennan enter the lab, both bickering as usual. But there was something different about the way they were. They were standing much closer than usual-something I didn't deem possible-and Booth's arm was slung across her shoulder instead of the hand on her back thing they've got down pat.

"It's not that I'm doubting your driving abilities, Bones, I'm just saying. FBI wheels, FBI guy," he grinned at her cockily.

Brennan scowled at him, and swatted his chest, though she did nothing to shrug off his arm. "Booth, I'm your _partner_. I might not get paychecks from 'the man', whoever that is, but I'm still entitled to drive your car!"

Booth sighed. Wait-did he just lean forward like he was about to kiss her? No…He just pulled back. "How 'bout this? You drive on the way home?"

"Home, huh? Your place or hers?" I asked, grinning like mad as they came closer to where Jack and I were standing.

Booth and Brennan started, and they looked up. They looked surprised to even see us here. Well, well, weren't they in their own little world. Booth extracted his arm from Brennan's shoulders guiltily and smiled sheepishly at us.

"No, he just meant I could drive back to my place," Brennan said, an innocent look in her face. But I knew her better.

"So sleepover's at yours tonight, huh, Bren?" I raised my eyebrows at them suggestively.

"I'll drive home after she gets out of the car," Booth said hurriedly. I exchanged a look with Jack, who was also trying to stifle his laughter. Booth and Brennan both looked like they've been caught red-handed. They were blushing hard, shifting from one foot to another, avoiding everyone's gaze.

I should probably stop teasing them, but I couldn't help myself. I opened my mouth to ask them about their, uh, activities planned for tonight. The phone rang, and Booth reached into his coat, answering the phone with just a little more gusto than necessary. I watched in amusement.

"Booth…Yes, sir. Of course. We'll be there," he hung up the phone and looked at Brennan. "We've got a body," he said grimly.

I frowned. Playtime's over. We all hated it whenever there's a new body. A new victim. A new person who was murdered.

Brennan nodded her head, her face stony. I knew that look-she was detaching herself from the victim even now, not letting her mind wander off to sympathize with him or her. She was being strong.

Booth placed a hand on Brennan's back, and led her away from us. "Don't you need your kit?" I asked her.

"I have it in Booth's car," she replied.

I was grinning again. This was just too good.

Then I noticed that Brennan had a hand around Booth's waist, leaning into him. Booth took their cases as hard as Brennan does, sometimes even worse. At least Brennan knew how to compartmentalize, and though that might not be healthy most of the time, she wouldn't get emotional or relate to the victims. Booth on the other hand saw the victims through his heart, not through his brain. It was harder for him. Brennan was comforting him, just like he was supporting her.

They were well away from the lab at this point, so I don't think they considered anyone watching them so closely.

I started to tear up, and Jack noticed. "Babe, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

I shook my head in the direction that Booth and Brennan had disappeared. "That's just so sweet," I sniffed. "They're perfect together, aren't they, Jack?"

He laughed, leaning forward to kiss me. "You know, every time you decide to play matchmaker with Booth and Dr. Brennan, I feel like we're this old pair of grandparents, trying to match up a new couple," he told me, chuckling.

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

I sighed, looking through the case file in front of me yet again. We had gotten nowhere close to figuring out the victim's killer. She was a twenty-eight year old doctor, who worked at the hospital. She lived alone, had no friends, and hadn't seen her family in ages. There was no one in her life, it seemed, except herself. That meant that we were at a dead end at finding the killer.

I tossed the file on my office table, and dropped my head on top of it. I felt helpless, not being able to identify the killer. We knew her name, we knew her address, we knew how she was killed, where she was killed and when she was killed. We just didn't know who or why. It was driving Booth and I crazy, not to mention the entire team.

"Bones?" I heard Booth said.

I groaned, not lifting my head from the table. Booth had gone somewhere, saying Rebecca had called him, wanting to talk to him for a while, after we'd gone to the crime scene. He'd been gone approximately forty-two minutes. Not that I was counting.

"Dr. Bones?"

I lifted my head off the table and looked at the doorway. Sure enough, Booth was standing there, holding Parker in his arms. They were both grinning at me. It was hard not to smile back.

"Oh, sure. When he calls your name, you answer. What about your man, huh?" he teased me. I rolled my eyes, gesturing for them to come into my office a little more. I peered out the door over Booth's shoulder, hoping no one heard him refer to himself as my man, no matter how good it felt to hear it.

"Booth, 'Bones' is not my name, lest we forget," I glared at him. I turned my gaze to the adorable six year old in his arms. "Hey, Parker. What are you doing here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at them both.

"His school sewer system broke down. It's flooded the place," he told me. I wrinkled my nose, and they both laughed. "Rebecca asked me to take him for the day-she has a meeting she can't avoid."

I nodded my head, and Parker climbed down from Booth's arms, walking over to me. I picked him up, and settled him on my lap. "Why are you sad?" he asked, tracing my eyes with his little fingers.

I smiled at Parker, not sure how I would answer the question. "I can't find the answers," I shrugged.

Parker narrowed his eyes at me, and he had a contemplative look on his face. Then he broke out into a smile, "Don't worry. Daddy says you always find the answers. It'll happen." He spoke with so much conviction that I believed him. That I started. I was taking the word of a six year old. He really had the Booth charm.

"Bones," Booth called out. I turned my chair to him. "Could you look after him for a few minutes? I've got to run down to Hoover and interrogate Marci's boss," he told me.

I nodded my head. So far, all we've got are the people who worked with Marci Ross. Most of them didn't know her personally, saying that she didn't like to socialize in the workplace or out of it. We still had to try, though.

"Sure, Booth," I said, smiling at him. "Just…Try to find something?" I asked, my voice pleading.

Booth nodded, and came over to us. "Be good for Bones, 'kay, bub?" he looked at Parker sternly, though a smile was evident on his face. Parker smiled widely at him, and nodded his head.

"I'll see you soon, Bones," he said, kissing my forehead gently. I closed my eyes, reveling in his touch. I just felt so tired, even though it was only eleven in the morning. This case was already taking its toll on me, and we've only gotten hold of it a few hours ago.

Someone cleared their throat behind Booth, and he straightened up. We both looked guiltily at our intruder. It was Angela, and she was looking too smug for it to be a good thing.

"_Finally_! A slip-up," she said, putting her hands on her hips. Booth and I exchanged confused glances. "Do you know how long I've waited for that to happen? Two weeks!"

Uh-oh. Two weeks? That's when we first started… "How could you possibly have known?" I demanded, not bothering at an attempt to hide it from her. It was Angela, she'll know. Besides, Booth had just kissed me on the forehead-something I would have kicked his ass for if he'd done it a month ago.

"I'm Angela," she said, as a way of explanation. Booth and I just stared at her, and she sighed, arms dropping to the side, giving in. "I saw the two of you kiss in here before you left for the Virginia case," she relented.

Noting our panicked expressions, she added, "No one else knows. I just happened to have…Very good eyesight," she grinned.

Booth laughed, shaking his head. "In other words, you spied?"

Angela shrugged, "You say tomato, I say tomahto, what's the difference?"

I stared at her, not understanding. "One's the correct pronunciation and the other isn't?" I guessed. Angela just rolled her eyes at me.

"So how about we see some real smooching, huh?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at the two of us. "Come on, I've waited forever!"

"Two weeks."

"More like three years," she corrected.

I sighed. "Angela! Parker's here," I gestured to the little boy on my lap, watching the exchange with interest. "Besides, Booth has to go interrogate our vic's boss."

She rolled her eyes, and moved to sit on my couch. "Alright, alright. Ruin the romance, why don't you?" she grumbled.

Booth grinned at me. "I'll see you soon, sugar," he teased.

I scowled. "You'd better not call me that again if you don't wish to end up with one arm only," I warned, as he walked out of my office door, laughing.

Angela smiled at me tenderly as I stood up, carrying Parker in my arms, and went to sit next to her on the couch. "Just remember Parker's here," I nodded at him.

"I'll keep it PG 13," Angela promised.

"I don't know what that means."

Angela reached out and hugged me and Parker together. "I'm so happy for you, Bren," she gushed. "This has been a long time coming."

I shrugged. "It's been amazing so far," I blushed as I said it.

"So have you…You know," she said, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I blushed even harder. "_Angela_!" I hissed. I can't believe she would ask me that in front of Parker.

"I'll take that as a no," she frowned.

I sighed. If she was going to talk about it, I don't think I could ignore it. "We're taking it slow. I like it," I told her.

She just smiled at me again, and squeezed my hand. "I'm glad. Good for you, Bren. I'm just…" Angela shuddered a little, grinning happily. "It's like following one of those shows you get really addicted to because of the female and male leads who are always going around having feelings for each other, then they finally get it on together, and you're like 'wow'. You know what I mean?" she asked, finally taking a breath.

Parker and I both looked at her strangely. "No…I don't," I said truthfully.

Parker squirmed in my lap and looked at me sheepishly. "Do you want some juice, Parks?" I asked knowingly. Parker smiled at me, and nodded his head. He'd gotten addicted to juice recently, always wanting to drink one at the oddest of times.

I asked Angela to pass me his backpack next to her on the couch and she did. I unzipped it and pulled out his lunchbox. Inside were six juice boxes and some sandwiches for his lunch, I suppose. I took one of the juice boxes and handed it to him, packing the rest away.

"Did Hodgins find anything else in the particulates that could help us?" I asked Angela. She shook her head, sadly.

I nodded my head, accepting that there was currently nothing forensic science could do to help us identify the killer. It was up to Booth and his FBI interrogation skills. I looked at Parker. "You want a tour of the lab?" I asked.

He looked up at me excitedly. "Can I?" I he asked, almost giddily. I smiled, nodding my head, and he jumped off my lap, tugging at my hand. "Come on, Dr. Bones, let's go," he said urgently, already peeking out the door.

Angela and I laughed at his enthusiasm. "Careful not to turn him into a squint, Brennan, Booth won't like that," Angela teased as I followed Parker out the door.

******************************************************************************

"Can we go see Bug?" Parker asked excitedly.

Out of all the people in the lab, he'd gotten accustomed to Hodgins the most. Probably because he couldn't communicate very well with Zach and he's only met Angela a few times. She's amazing with kids, though, so I think Parker's going to warm up to her.

I nodded my head and took Parker by the hand, leading him in the direction of Hodgins' work station. He was looking through a microscope at what I presume to be the particulates of the Marci Ross case. He was as determined as the rest of us to find out the who and the why.

"Hodgins," I called out to him.

"I found some gravel on the vic's shirt that could indicate the exact location of the vic before the murder-it's definitely different from the location where she was found," he said, without looking up from the microscope.

"Less murder talk around six year olds, Hodgins," I admonished.

Hodgins raised his head, bewildered, and looked at me. He noticed Parker attached to my hand and broke out into a grin. "Hey, Parker, how's my favorite little guy?" he asked, chuckling.

Parker giggled and climbed onto Hodgins' lap. "Good! My school's flooded," he announced proudly.

"Apparently, that's a good thing," I supplied helpfully.

Hodgins nodded at me, still smiling. "Well, it certainly is," he said to Parker. "Because now I get to show you these bugs I just got!" He reached across his table and pulled out a jar full of insects. I stared at it, unaffected. What could be so amazing about a jar of bugs? But Parker was getting excited nonetheless.

"I'm going to check with Zach and Cam," I told them. "I'll be back in a while, 'kay, Parks?" I kissed him on the hair slightly, and left them to it. I wasn't grossed out by bugs, but I preferred bones.

I walked towards Zach's office, and heard his voice ranting about how he could not find the specific garden hose that was used to kill her. "Zach, there are a million garden hoses in the world-"

"That's not statistically correct," Zach interrupted Angela sadly.

I entered his office to see Angela and Cam standing over Zach's hunched figure, sitting in his chair.

"Zach," I called out. "Did you find anything else?"

He straightened up and shook his head. "No, Dr. Brennan. I'm afraid there isn't anything else I can do at the moment. I'll keep trying of course, but it seems that I have exhausted my resources so far," he informed me.

My lips twitched into a tiny smile. Even though Zach has gotten his doctorate, earned himself the title Dr. Zach Addy, and was no longer my intern, he still treated me the same. I don't know what to do with that.

"It's okay. Booth is interrogating the victim's boss. Maybe he knows something," I ran a hand through my hair.

"Speaking of Booth," Angela piped up. I shot her a warning glare. She ignored me. "Where's Booth junior?"

I heaved a sigh of relief. I don't think we've covered the 'keep-it-a-secret' part yet.

"Booth junior?" Cam asked, arms folded across her chest, eyebrows raised quizzically.

I nodded my head. "Booth left Parker here while he's in the interrogation room," I explained.

Cam frowned. "Well, why didn't he ask me?" she muttered.

I frowned as well. I didn't know she and Parker had a good relationship. In fact, Parker had told me the last time we saw Cam together that he didn't quite enjoy her company. Had I missed something. "You and Parker get along well?" I asked her bluntly.

She started and glared at me. "That is none of your business, Dr. Brennan," she snapped.

I raised an eyebrow at her, as did Angela and Zach. She took a deep breath and gave a small smile. "I apologize. I'm a little on edge. The case and all…"

I nodded my head. "That's understandable," I concurred.

"I think I'll go say hello to Parker," she said, going out of the door.

Angela waited until Cam was well out of earshot before turning to me. "Well?" she demanded, one hand on her hip.

I stared at her, confused. "Well what?" I asked, sharing a puzzled look with Zach. He shrugged, though he looked interested in knowing where this conversation was going.

"Aren't you going after her?"

"Why would I do that?"

Angela sighed, shaking her head. "You are so dense, Brennan. She's trying to steal your man," she informed me.

"Parker's not my man…"

Angela looked ready to strangle me at this point. "I'm not talking about Parker! I'm talking about Booth!"

"Angela!"

"You remember him, strong, tall, charm smile intact all the time…She's going after him by being nice to Parker," she told me.

I shook my head. "Well, that won't work. Parker doesn't like her," I revealed. Angela burst out into a grin. "Besides, are you telling me that Booth will fall head over toes over every single woman who smiles at Parker and knows how to say 'hello'?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "It's head over heels, Bren," she clicked her tongue.

I sighed. "I'm going to see if Parker needs anything. Then I'll review the case file again…Maybe there's something I missed…"

Angela caught my arm before I could leave. "Brennan, I know you take these cases hard. I just want you to remember that we do our best. But sometimes that's not enough. We can't catch them all, Bren."

I stared at her for a moment. I knew she understood why I wanted to catch them so badly. Who does this? Kidnap a girl, torture her, rape her, then leave her alone to die in a ditch somewhere? It was barbaric. I couldn't stand it if we didn't catch him.

"We'll catch this one," I said confidently, and strode out of Zach's office. We have to. We're the best forensic team in the country-in the world, some might say. We've got Booth. We'll catch the bad guy.

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

The boss had given me nothing useful. He barely had enough to tell me about Marci Ross. Only that she had had an impressive resume, and her application was filled with recommendations from various professors. She'd worked at the hospital since she was twenty five. She didn't have any friends. She liked working alone.

That left me at another dead end. The boss, Dr. Carson, was nervous about being in the FBI building, but he wasn't lying about not knowing Marci Ross, that much I could tell.

I sighed as I walked back to Bones' office. She wasn't at the platform, so I assume she's at her office. I didn't find Parker or Bones there, though his bag was still on her couch. I frowned. Where could she be?

I turned from the doorway, intent on finding them both. The interrogation had gone longer than I'd planned. I was exhausted, and I still wanted to go back out there, to Marci's house, see if Bones could find something the FBI forensic team didn't. She usually did.

Maybe Angela could watch Parker for a little while. Angela! Maybe Bones and Parker were in her office.

I almost ran into Cam. She smiled brightly at me, and I smiled tentatively back. Cam and I had been sociable towards one another, civil. But I didn't exactly know where we stood at this point. I knew my feelings for her have long gone-we were done before she even came to work for the Jeffersonian. Her coming back and us having a thing…It was just because I felt too horrible about not being with Bones. I still felt guilty for using Cam that way, and for using a lie to break up with her.

I hoped she never found out. She might not be Bones, but she was still a cop.

"Hey, Booth, saw your cutie of a son just now," she said cheerfully.

I smiled. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe we could be friends now. We all work together. Not as closely as Bones and I work together, I admit, but whenever I come up with a case for Bones, the team would come into the picture eventually.

"Yeah. I had to interrogate a suspect, so…"

Cam's smile flickered for a second. "You know, we're friends, Seeley. If you have anything going on, you could just come to me for help," she offered.

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, with Parker just now? You could have left him with me. Dr. Brennan doesn't exactly communicate well with children," she laughed nonchalantly.

I felt anger rise in me. Bones and Parker had a special connection, one even I sometimes couldn't understand. Who was Cam to undermine that? Had she seen the two of them together? Obviously not, or she wouldn't have said that.

I tried to control myself. It was common knowledge that Bones didn't want any children. She may have just made an assumption.

"Bones is great with Parker," I said defensively. "Parker really adores her. I can't explain it. So who else was better to take care of him while I worked?"

Cam looked away for a moment, then she smiled a little. "Okay. No problem. I was just offering, Seeley," she said.

I sighed. "Yeah. I know. Thanks anyway."

I walked away, wanting to get to Bones and Parker now more than ever.

I finally found them walking back from the direction of the Jeffersonian cafeteria. "Where've you guys been?" I asked, smiling as I reached them. I felt the strong urge to lean forward and kiss Bones, but I couldn't. Aside from Angela, no one else knew about us just yet. It would be suicidal for me to kiss her in front of all the squints in the lab. Bones would shoot me with my own gun.

"Parker got hungry, and he didn't want to eat the sandwiches in his bag," Bones explained. "We went to find something else to eat," she smiled down at Parker who burped a little.

I laughed, swinging him into my arms and hugging him close.

"Nothing new, huh?" Bones asked quietly, stepping close to me and stroking my cheek with a gentle finger.

I smiled tiredly at her. "No," I whispered. She knew me so well. Even when I'm laughing, saying things that had nothing to do with the case, she saw right through me. I loved her for it.

Speaking louder, I said, "You think Angela could watch Parker for a little while?" I looked from Bones to Parker for approval. "I thought we could go to Marci's house and see if they missed anything."

Bones nodded, then tapped Parker on the chin, smiling. "What do you say to that, Parks?" He was hesitating, we could both see that. "Angela is an artist. I'll bet she'll show you how to draw and paint and stuff. Do you want to stay with her for a while?"

Parker brightened up at that and nodded his head. "Sure!"

I shot Bones a grateful look, again amazed at how wonderful she was with my son. What did I ever do to deserve a woman like her?

******************************************************************************

"Booth!" Bones laughed, shoving me away from her. I just tightened my grip around her waist and pulled her closer to me, nuzzling her neck with my lips. We were back at her place tonight-Angela was right. She was sorting through the mail, or at least, she was trying to. I groaned, why did she have to be so precise? She just had to check her mail tonight, right before bed.

Bed was a better idea than mail any day.

"You can't use Parker as an excuse this time, Bones," I growled, slipping my hands inside her shirt, intent on finding the warmth of her body. It always felt so good to be able to feel that, to know for real that she was with me, that this wasn't just some surreal hallucination I was having.

Bones gasped as my hands moved up, slowly trailing the flat planes of her stomach, going further up her rib cage…

"I don't make excuses," she choked out.

I grinned against her neck, ready to pin her against her wall and kiss her senseless. Then she pulled back and froze. I lifted my head from her neck and stared down at her back. "What is it?" I asked softly. I was afraid she'd somehow managed to decide that now was the time to think things through. To freeze me out, and run from me.

"Booth," she said, her voice trembling. I took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face me. What I saw frightened me. Bones looked ashen, her eyes full of fear. Her hands were trembling and I realized that she was holding something.

I took it from her gently. I felt my jaw clench at the sight in front of me. It was Marci Ross, broken up, beaten, bloodied. She was dead, in exactly the same position we found her skeleton a few weeks later.

Across the picture were words written in black ink. "You'll be mine next, Temperance."

Instinctively, I reached forward and crushed Bones to me, hugging her tightly. She could kick me later when I know she's safe. At this moment, I only wanted to know she was alive and well, right her with me.

To my surprise, she wrapped her arms around me and pulled herself tighter. She was scared. My hands around her clenched into fists. No one gets away with wanting to hurt my Bones. I won't let this son of a bitch near her. I would keep her safe. I had to.

I couldn't lose her.

_First of all, no worries, because ex or no ex, serial killer or no serial killer, it's BB fluff and Parker all the way. I just want to see jealous Booth and overprotective Booth a little more-I, like Angela, think it's hot._

_So this serial killer slash psycho thing?? It's just to get BB closer together. Who doesn't love that??_

_So tell me what you think, again I went overboard and wrote eleven pages. Don't kill me or anything. Review, please. Those are inspiration for me to write more._


	16. Forever

_**A/N: **__Sorry this took a little later. I was working on my other fic. So, ready for overprotective Booth? Yeah, me too._

_**Disclaimer:**__ It would be extremely cool if Bones were mine-that way, we wouldn't have Booth liking some other agent this season. I hope it's a short thing, like with Brennan and Jared. It doesn't seem that way, though, since she's making reappearances and all. But I don't know much about that-do you??_

_**POVs: **__S. Booth, T. Brennan_

______________________________________________________________________________

_S. Booth's POV_

She's scared. I could see that. No matter how tough she seemed when I ended the call to the FBI, no matter how brave she was when the agent in charge of her case asked her questions, no matter how unshaken she looked when Angela came barreling in through the door at two in the morning, a worried Hodgins in her wake, I knew she was scared.

I saw through her defenses better than anyone.

Right now, the FBI had sent a forensics team to scour the place for any evidence-fingerprints, any other hidden clues, that sort of thing. Whomever it was that had sent her that picture, was connected to Marci Ross' murder. It was her killer, or an accomplice.

Bones had been threatened. She was supposedly next. I wasn't going to let her out of my sight. She won't like that. She would put up her defenses, and argue with me, and try to kick me out the door, but she would not succeed. I have come too far to lose her now. In fact, I wasn't planning on losing her ever. She was my life, right up there with Parker. Without her, I only had half a reason for living. I couldn't have that.

Agent Matthews was in charge of the investigation. I wasn't allowed since it was too personal for me. Cullen had made that very clear on the phone. I had argued until he allowed me to know every detail of the investigation. Marci Ross was still my case. I had investigated every aspect of it with Bones. We weren't clueless as to what would happen.

Actually, I corrected myself, we were clueless, because we had no idea who the killer was, when he was going to strike, or why.

So far, all we know was that he seemed to pick his victims at random, and that was conjecture. Marci Ross was his only victim that we know of, and he might have picked Bones because she was working the case. Not because he randomly saw her out of nowhere and decided he needed to kill her.

I sighed, watching the forensics team work. Hodgins was irritating them enough for the both of us. I would tell him to cut it out, but his constant yelling that they weren't doing their job properly might inspire them to work harder.

I thanked Matthews and walked over to where Bones and Angela were sitting on the couch. Angela had her arm around Bones, and her head on Bones' shoulder. "It's just so awful, sweetie," Angela said, her normally happy face pulled into a frown. "I hate that this is happening."

Again, I felt grateful for Angela. She was amazing as Bones' best friend. She had a real connection with Bones, and she looked out for her. I couldn't ask for more.

"We've been in tougher situations," Bones said reassuringly. But I could sense the coldness in her words. She was terrified.

Angela pulled back and looked at Bones incredulously. "Bren, Marci Ross…She was…" Angela couldn't finish her sentences. I sympathized with her. She always connected with the victims, having given them back their identities, painting the picture of their deaths, their lives, their downfalls. Bones and I get up close and personal, but Angela was still new to all this, even after three years. She hadn't been in Guatemala, or been a Ranger. She wasn't like us.

"It was bad," she said finally. "I don't want you ending up that way." Bones flinched the slightest bit, but didn't look into Angela's eyes, or replied. Angela gripped Bones' hand. "Promise me, Bren. Promise you won't do anything stupid, or go looking for this psycho or anything like that. Promise me you'll stay safe. At all times."

Before Bones could reply-because I knew she'd object-I stepped in, sitting next to Bones. "Of course she will," I replied. Bones shot me a glare for answering for her, but I ignored it. "You can't stay here, Bones," I told her.

"Why not?" she sounded annoyed. Good. Some emotion was better than no emotion.

"Because he knew where you lived. Because he sent a damn picture to your apartment. Because we had no idea how Marci Ross was taken, who took her, and where. Because her killer said you would be next, and I can't lose you."

Bones just blinked at me, while Angela tear up. "See, Bren? I told you he's a knight in shining FBI standard issue body armor," she said.

I grinned at her while Bones scowled.

Bones turned back to me. "Well, where do you suggest I stay then?" she snapped at me.

I smiled wider, taking her hand in mine and squeezed it reassuringly. "With me."

Angela bit her lip and clapped a hand over her mouth-but her squeal was still audible. Everyone in the room stopped to stare at us.

******************************************************************************

Bones had given the FBI team an extra key to lock up, after packing a few of her things (Angela helping her, of course) to head back to my place. To my surprise, she hadn't protested much at my idea. Granted, we had been sleeping over together, so it wasn't as if this was a first.

She had been worried about Parker, though, saying that it wasn't all that wise to stay with me if the killer was watching, waiting for the right time to attack. I'd told her that I would talk with Rebecca about protection for Parker.

It wasn't just Bones who was in danger, it was Parker too, unintentionally. I was with Bones, Parker was my son. Anything could happen. The killer could go for Parker if he was after Bones because she worked on the case. I worked on the case, too, so he could harm Parker for that.

Or if he was after Bones personally, then he could still harm Parker because they were close. If the killer was watching, he would know that by now.

With that in mind, Bones hadn't given up much of a fight. I realized that she must have been tired, dealing with everything.

Bones, Angela, Hodgins and I had left the apartment together, with Hodgins leaving the FBI forensics team with a few choice words. He and Bones were never really that close, though they were good friends. I sense his sudden urge to protect her came not from his engagement to Angela, but from their Gravedigger experience together. They were both buried alive together-it created a bond between people when they go through a traumatic experience like that.

He had been muttering something about 'dimwitted ninnies who didn't know how to find evidence if it danced naked in front of them'. His words, not mine.

Angela still had her arm wrapped around Bones. She was still shaken up that her best friend was in danger. I considered FBI protection for Hodgins and Angela, but they lived in a mansion. Hodgins had security enough in that castle. They would be safe.

My main priority was Bones and Parker. I'd have to call Rebecca tomorrow.

Right now, Bones needed me.

We said goodbye to Hodgins and Angela, who had come to her apartment building in one of Hodgins' sports cars. They zoomed off, waving at us.

Bones' loaded her things into the trunk, her things twice as many since Angela helped out. She was still silent as she closed the trunk. I stared at her for a moment, eyes dry but a little pink, a little scared. I drew her in for a hug, holding her close to me. After a moment, I felt her arms tighten around my waist, and I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of her shampoo.

"Booth?" she called out, voice small.

I pulled back a little. "Yeah?"

"Can we go home? I can't do this here…" She picked at the fabric of her shirt.

I nodded my head. No, of course not. She was a strong woman. She didn't break down in public. But I smiled a little at the word 'home' in reference to my apartment. I liked the sound of that.

I just wished that her moving in with me had nothing to do with a serial killer on the loose, waiting to pounce on her.

******************************************************************************

I glanced at the clock-an hour since Bones had gone into the bathroom. I could still hear the water running. I grabbed both mugs of hot chocolate and went back to my room. I placed both the mugs on the bedside table and sat down on the bed.

Should I knock on the bathroom door? Should I ask her if she was alright? Bones hated being treated like a child, and I was already going to do that tomorrow anyway. I just didn't want her to start being angry at me so soon. She had to know that whatever I would do was to protect her, not to annoy her. She'd see it differently, of course. She's Bones, after all.

"Booth?" I jumped a little, startled. Bones had come out of the bathroom, wearing a tank-top and pajama pants. I smiled a little at the sight. I gestured for her to come in, and patted the bed next to me. Sliding into the covers, I took hold of the mugs and gave her one.

Bones took a tentative sip and smiled gratefully at me. I wanted to say something, anything, that would comfort her. As much as she liked being tough, I knew she was still vulnerable inside. I wanted to protect her from being hurt.

Instead, I drank the hot chocolate in silence, sitting up in bed next to her. Finally, Bones turned to the side and placed her empty mug on the bedside table on her side. I did the same with mine.

She didn't lie down or pretend to sleep. She just sat down and kept her silence. I scooted closer to her, but she shook her head. "I can't, Booth," she whispered. "I have to be strong."

I wrapped my arms around her anyway and pulled her closer to me. She could karate chop me if she wanted but I was going to be there for her. To my surprise, she rested her head against my chest, her hands gripping my arms tightly. I kissed the top of her hair, running my hands down her back. "You don't have to go through it alone, Bones. I'm here for you. I'm always here for you," I told her sincerely.

I felt her nod her head against my chest and smiled.

Bones snuggled closer to me, and I slid us both down the covers so we were lying on our sides, in a supine position, Bones in my arms. I listened to her breathing which eventually even out. I closed my eyes as well, and drifted off to sleep.

_I love you, Temperance._

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

I was making mac and cheese for breakfast-something Booth had insisted on like an overexcited child. I had finally given in after he'd followed me around the house for half an hour spewing out a list of why mac and cheese was good for the body. None of his points made sense, but I was just getting tired of his begging.

Booth was on the phone while I made breakfast. He was talking to Rebecca, telling her about the killer, and what it meant for Parker to be unprotected. Booth wanted Parker to stay over, and I agreed. Who better to protect his son that himself? He was a sniper once, and he's an FBI agent. He could definitely do it.

Apparently, Rebecca didn't feel the same way.

Booth had moved from the kitchen, to the living room, to his room, to Parker's room-never staying at one particular place for long. He was restless. I couldn't hear Rebecca's end of the conversation, or much of Booth's either, but I had the feeling they were talking about me. Rebecca wasn't happy with me.

And she had every right to be unhappy. I was the one putting her son in potential danger. I was upset with myself at this point. Parker shouldn't have to go through this. Maybe this was nothing, maybe Booth and I were overreacting, but it came as no surprise to us that killers and kidnappers go after their target's families when they can't get their victim. They were insistent. That's how they usually get their victims out of hiding or protection-by dangling someone they love in front of them on a piece of string.

And we definitely loved Parker.

So far, in their hour and a half argument on the subject, I only heard snippets of Booth's hushed voice. "It's _not _her fault". "Parker needs…" "I thought we settled that. She's good for him" "You can't be serious."

I don't know what it was that they were talking about for sure, but based on these snippets, I can safely deduct that firstly, Rebecca didn't like the idea of Parker being in danger, or the idea of Parker staying with Booth for an extended period of time due to a crazed murderer. And secondly, they had had a previous argument. And it was about me being in Parker's life.

Angela would tell me I'm overreacting-then tell me to confront Booth. Hodgins would say Rebecca was conspiring with the enemy. Zach would tell me to look for facts. Booth…Booth wouldn't tell me anything as long as he knew everything was fine. He wouldn't want to hurt my feelings. Well, tough. He was just going to have to, even if I have to annoy him into doing it.

Finally, I heard Booth shuffling into the kitchen. I had just placed the mac and cheese in the oven, but I didn't turn around. I took off my oven mitts and talked with my back to him. "She blames me." It wasn't a question, just a statement.

His silence proved me right.

Then I felt his arms around my waist and his chin on my head. "She had no right to," he said quietly.

I turned around to glare at him, but all I could do was stare disbelievingly at him. I wanted his comfort more than anything at this point, but I didn't deserve it. How could I, when I had placed Parker in danger? Booth's work might have placed himself in danger, but he could still protect his son. But me? I'd never thought of it before. I come across killers, the mentally ill, kidnappers, gangsters…I solve the murders they committed. They had to have revenge on their mind. By being associated with me, Parker was unintentionally being put in the line of danger.

How could I do that to him, to Booth? I would just end up hurting them both. Or they'd end up leaving me. Either way, nothing good would come out of it.

This has to stop.

"How can you say that, Booth?" I snapped. He didn't even flinch at my tone. "Parker might be in danger, and it's all my fault!"

I don't know what's wrong with me-I started to cry. I was normally so strong, but Booth had broken down all of my defenses. I was able to be vulnerable around him. I hated that, and loved it at the same time.

"Hey, shh," Booth soothed, pulling me closer to him, planting butterfly kisses all over my face. "Temperance," he rasped. "This is just a precaution. No threat has presented itself. Parker's safe, okay? Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to him, and I won't let anything happen to you."

I pushed away from him, but he wouldn't let me. He held me tighter, held me closer, until I felt like I couldn't breathe. But he knew as well as I did that if I had really wanted him to let go, I could have done so. He would have been lying on the floor by now, groaning in pain. But I wanted him. I needed him. Was that wrong of me?

"I don't deserve this, Booth. What if Parker really is in danger? And maybe not this time, but what about in the future? When something else happens, and Parker's hurt because of me? I can't…I can't," I sobbed.

Booth led me gently to the living room, but I barely registered it. He sat down and guided me down to sit on his lap.

"Bones, I'm FBI. My work is dangerous. If we were to use ifs and maybes then I'd have lost my mind a long time ago, thinking of you and Parker," he whispered, stroking my hair in a soothing manner. "But I will keep him safe. And you will be alright. I promise you that. Don't you trust me?"

I nodded my head, though my sobs weren't subsiding. I couldn't help it. I just haven't really dealt with the fact that a killer was on the loose, wanting to kill me.

Booth just held me, wonderful man that he was. He held me, soothed me, until I calmed down.

And when I did, I had to ask. "Rebecca didn't want me around Parker?"

Booth visibly tensed. I took that as a yes. My heart pounded painfully in my chest. I hated giving him grief, and I had, not knowing about it the whole time. "What?" he asked weakly. "Why would you think that?"

"I'm not deaf, Booth. Nor am I stupid. I couldn't hear what Rebecca was saying, obviously, but you don't speak as quietly as you think you do," I informed him.

He sighed, shaking his head and closing his eyes. He didn't say a word. I stroked his cheek gently. "It's okay, Booth. Just tell me," I pleaded.

He cracked open his eyes a little, then his brown eyes were fully on me. "I want you to know, Temperance," he said seriously. "That what she thought…I never thought it. And she's getting over it, getting used to the idea that you mean a lot to Parker. He's her son, so his happiness has to come first. You make him happy, Bones. Just remember that. Okay?"

He was waiting for an answer, but I was too afraid of what he would say next. So I just nodded my head meekly, and waited for him to continue.

"When Parker started hanging around us-"

"You mean me."

"-a lot, Rebecca became a little antsy. She was just worried Parker would be hurt, you know, if you weren't a constant in his life. I told her you were, that I wanted you around for forever."

He paused, and our eyes met. I think he realized he'd said too much. But I didn't care. Did he really want me around for forever? The idea scared me. I hadn't even really gotten used to the idea of having Booth around like this. The idea of forever seemed impractical. Things happen, people change. But this was Booth. I trusted him with my life, with everything. Could I trust him with forever?

Yes.

"Does she feel the same way now?" I whispered, eyes downcast. I didn't really want to know the answer. I think I know.

Booth shook his head, tipping my head so he could look into my eyes again. "No, Bones. Not as much as she did. It was like when she and Captain Fantastic first started going out together. I got jealous, because this guy was going around taking my place in Parker's life."

I frowned. That wasn't a rational comparison. "But Captain Fantastic was around all the time. You only get Parker for weekends, it's not a suitable comparison," I argued.

Booth cracked a small smile. "That's my Bones," he chuckled.

I raised an eyebrow at him. His Bones? "I don't know what that means," I said truthfully.

He shrugged. "I'm just saying, that she's probably jealous of the connection you and Parker share. He loves you, Bones. You have a permanent place in his life. That's a lot for her to handle. It's got nothing to do with her not liking you-which I'm sure she does," he added quickly.

I rolled my eyes. _Yeah, I was sure of that, too_, I thought sarcastically. I drew meaningless patterns on Booth's chest through his shirt, thinking over his words.

Did I have a connection with Parker? I felt like I did. I wasn't very good with children, but Parker was different, to me. He was special. And it wasn't just the resemblance to his father that made me love him. It was everything he was. He was gentle, and loving, and caring. He loved me, and he was innocent. So, yes, I loved Parker, and I had a connection with him.

Was that enough to make Rebecca jealous? Maybe. I have never been a mother myself, so I didn't know what it's like to have your son have a special connection with someone else, but I imagine it can't be too exciting.

Then something else he said lit up in my head. "Do you want me around for forever?" I asked quietly, searching his deep eyes for an answer.

He smiled, reaching out with one hand to brush at my cheek, his other hand placed firmly on my back to steady me on his lap. "Of course I do," was his simple reply. "I know you don't believe in forever, Bones," he said before I could speak. "And I know you believe that people change with time. But I've wanted to be with you since the first time I met you. It's different now. You're not just my partner, or my girlfriend. You're my best friend…This connection, this relationship, it's stronger. I believe it won't break."

He leaned forward to kiss me softly. I gasped-how could one kiss mean so much? "And I'm willing to spend forever making you believe the same thing," he whispered against my lips.

I wrapped my arms around him and deepened this kiss. I needed more, I wanted more. I loved him, with more feeling and passion that I've ever thought I could muster up. It was the most amazing, most terrifying, most wonderful feeling in the world.

When Booth pulled back, I was gasping for air, as was he. I thought about what he said as I slowly regained control of my senses. "I think I could believe in forever," I smiled coyly at him.

Booth grinned his trademark charm smile, and traced my swollen lips with a gentle finger. I shivered at his touch. He was right. He was more than a boyfriend. It was different because he was my best friend, and my partner. We shared our lives together, for years before we decided to erase the line. Our deepest, darkest secrets were shared with one another. I've seen him at his most vulnerable, and he's seen me in mine. We saved each other, daily. We were…Booth and Bones.

That's why it's different. That's why it's better.

That's why it's forever.

The oven timer went off and Booth's eyes lit up. "Is that the mac and cheese?" he asked eagerly.

I couldn't help it-I threw back my head, and laughed.

_Can't you just imagine Booth getting all excited at eight in the morning because of mac and cheese? Okay, after watching him get excited over mac and cheese on the show, it's not all that hard to imagine, but still! He's adorable._

_Thank you for everyone who read, reviewed, favorite my story, and gave me a chance. It means a lot._

_P.S. Review, please??_

_Thank you once again._


	17. Restless

_**A/N:**__ I think I'm a little twisted for thinking of serial killers, and the way they work and all…I wrote another story (not a fan fic, but an original series), and there was this villain that was seriously twisted, torture and all. After I wrote it, I read it and stared getting scared. I think I'm a sadist…_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Do I really need to write this for every chapter? Because it's just a reminder that I still don't own Bones. Or Booth. Or Bones' brain._

_**POVs:**__ T. Brennan, Angela M., S. Booth, Unknown_

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_T. Brennan's POV_

I felt like I was being watched. I know it was probably just me overreacting, and my fear seeping in, so I didn't tell Booth. He would just get even more protective than he was at this point. Not that I see how that's possible.

He followed me everywhere, and I wasn't to leave his sight. First thing in the morning, we went to the Hoover building. He had to get some paperwork, and to tell Cullen he would be working from the Jeffersonian. I had the feeling that he would get bones to the Hoover if Cullen said no.

Then we went to the lab, later than usual, of course, which got Angela all riled up. When I told her it was because Booth wanted to go to the Hoover to get paperwork so he wouldn't have to leave my sight, she became a little upset. I think it was because it reminded her of the killer. Then she brightened up and a bright grin lit up her face. "That's so romantic, Bren. He wants to protect you!" she'd sighed.

I don't see how that's romantic. Leaving me to fend for myself was more romantic to me than anything. Why do I always get to play the damsel in distress? It was so…Archaic.

Booth had been less than fazed by my moodiness. He'd said that it was about time I started getting grumpy, and he'd been expecting it. "Just don't expect me to loosen up, Bones, the guy's still out there," he'd told me, not even looking up from his paperwork in my office.

At least I was safe to wander around in the Jeffersonian. It was safe, security all around. Due to the killer predicting that I would be his new victim, the team had gotten around to examining Marci Ross' remains for evidence they'd bypassed earlier. Highly unlikely, but I worked on it, too. Anything to know for sure that Parker was safe. It might not even be about me, but this killer's out there. He could be standing next to Parker for all I know, and it wasn't a pleasant thought.

I know Booth was going crazy as well. He'd picked up Marci Ross' case file about a hundred times today and his frown just intensified every single time.

I wished I could say the right thing to him. But I wasn't a people person, so I couldn't find the right words. I hoped he knew I was working hard for this.

Agent Matthews was in the lab, as well, but he was mostly annoying the entire team to no end. I knew in the back of my mind that he was only trying to find the killer, but it was just different than working with Booth. I couldn't for the life of me get used to it. Thank God I wouldn't have to. Besides, I was only reviewing the case. I wasn't allowed to touch anything else regarding the killer-meaning, my apartment, that picture…

"We're still at a dead end," Hodgins said, slamming his hand down on the table. The rest of us just stared at him, but I agreed.

"I agree with Hodgins," I said, pulling off my latex gloves.

"Sweetie," Angela shook her head, coming over to me. She placed a hand on my arm. "You can't just give up."

I shrugged, looking around at the whole team. Booth was still in my office-he was too aggravated with Agent Matthews to come out. Every time those two were in the same room, they started to bicker. According to Angela, it was a different sort of banter than Booth's and mine was. Theirs was pure hatred. I think it's territorial.

Hodgins looked frustrated, Zach looked upset and disappointed, Cam looked slight wary, slightly uncomfortable and Angela was…Worried, for the most part. I can't say I blamed her. Her best friend was threatened. Though I wished she gave me more credit-I knew how to fend for myself, and I've got Booth with me.

"I'm not giving up, Ange," I said, throwing the gloves in the trash by the platform stairs. "I'm just stating a fact. We've exhausted our resources. Marci Ross' remains won't tell us anything new. We are, as Hodgins stated, at a dead end." I paused, then added as an afterthought, "No pun intended, I'm sure."

Angela cracked a small grin at my use of pop culture reference. I'm sure it had everything to do with being around Booth almost all the time.

The sudden shrill sound of Agent Matthews' phone startled us, and we all turned to look at him. He flushed a little, and fished in his pocket for his cell phone. "Matthews," he barked into it. I rolled my eyes. Was it entirely necessary for him to act like a tough guy all the time? "Yes, sir. I'll be right there."

He shut his phone off, and turned to look at us grimly. "They uncovered another body. Cullen thinks it could be from the same killer," he announced.

"Take Zach with you," I told him.

Agent Matthews looked appalled while Zach looked excited. He hasn't had a lot of field work, especially lately. I was always the one with Booth, and since Zach was no longer my intern, I didn't need to bring him around to learn from me anymore. I kind of missed that.

"What?" he asked me warily.

I shrugged. "If there are remains, you'll need a forensic anthropologist there. I can't work on the case due to recent discoveries, so the only one left is Zach. He's very capable," I added.

Agent Matthews sighed, as if he'd been given the biggest burden in the world and I fixed a steely gaze on him. Zach may sometimes by socially challenged, but he has a brilliant mind. I wouldn't put anything pass him.

"Fine," Agent Matthews grumbled. Zach grinned. "Let's go, kid."

I knew Zach didn't have his own kit ready yet, since he wasn't prepared for field work, so I nodded to my office. "Ask Booth to give you my kit, Zach. You can use it for today's field work."

Zach smiled gratefully at me. "Thank you, Dr. Brennan."

I nodded, watching him leave the platform, a grumbling FBI agent in his wake.

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_Angela M.'s POV_

I can't eat-no matter how many times Jack tried to persuade me. He wasn't doing all that well, either. Ever since the Gravedigger tragedy, I knew he had bonded with Brennan. They'd become close friends, and I was happy for that. I was just not as happy about the way it happened. And now that Brennan had been threatened…We were all taking it hard.

So far, the evidence hadn't given us the identity of the killer, or his MO. Brennan was in danger, and it seemed like we couldn't do anything to stop it.

We were waiting for Zach and Matthews to get back to the lab with the new set of remains. Another one of the killer's victims. I was on edge. Was this a woman, too? Was she, too, abducted from out of nowhere, raped, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die? Was this the intended fate of my best friend?

Booth was the worst. I could see him, restless, pacing, worried out of his mind. He was never far from Brennan. If she was on the platform, surrounded by all of us, he was in her office, keeping an eye on her. If she went to Limbo, he followed. If she went to the cafeteria, he'd tell her he was hungry, too.

Brennan was frustrated, but that was mostly because she felt helpless as well. She wanted to solve the case so she could ease everyone's minds, especially Booth's, and give Marci Ross back to her family in peace.

I don't think she even considered herself in this mess. That scared me, too. That she was so fearless when it came to her own life. I needed her to be more careful, but Brennan was stubborn. Every time I told her it could be dangerous, she either reminded me of her times in the foster system and her times in El Salvador and God knows where else, or she would tell me again about her black belt in three different kinds of martial arts. God, she could be infuriating at times.

I still wanted her safe. Was that too much to ask for?

Every now and again, Brennan would go back into her office, just to check on Booth. I'd see his face relax a little every time she does that. And even though they don't hug or kiss or hold hands because someone other than me might see it, their presence was enough to comfort each other. I love that. It's great to see my best friends in love that way.

The body arrived an hour and a half after Zach and Matthews left for the crime scene. It was female. She was in the same condition as Marci Ross. Zach said that there were signs of sexual assault. The team were all doing their best to figure this one out. Maybe the killer left more evidence on this girl than he did on Marci Ross.

I was trying to give her an identity. There wasn't much for me to do when I didn't have the skull. Zach and Hodgins were fighting over it-Zach wanted to see if there was any blunt force trauma done to the skull, like on Marci Ross, while Hodgins said he wanted to check for particulates. I'd given up on playing the referee, and left it to Cam and Matthews. Maybe they'd have better luck…Right.

I went into Brennan's office, to find Booth and Brennan on her couch, side by side. His hand was covering hers on her lap, and he was giving her a tender look. I smiled at the sight.

"Hey, guys," I sighed, making them jump a little. I chuckled. "It's okay, it's just trusty Angela," I teased.

They glared at me, but Booth didn't let go of Brennan's hand. Good.

"How's it going out there?" Booth asked, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. He wanted to be a part of the investigation, but he couldn't since Brennan was involved now. She's been targeted as the next victim. Both partners had been pulled off the case. Cullen was still unhappy about the fact that Brennan had been consulted about Marci Ross' re-examination, but we were all on edge and feeling helpless.

I shrugged, and sat down on one of Brennan's chairs. "Bad," I said gloomily. "Zach and Hodgins are still fighting over the skull," I told Brennan.

She rolled her eyes. "They're basically school children," she muttered to herself. "Can't Cam control them?" she asked irritably.

I gave her a look. "It's Zach and Hodgins, sweetie. Nothing short of your death glare could control them."

Brennan sighed and rested her head on Booth's shoulder. He rested the side of his cheek on her head. "I know," she mumbled. "I'm sorry. I'm just…It's very frustrating not to know the answers. I don't like it."

I smiled at her. "Neither do I, sweetie," I said. Checking my watch, I realized it was already seven thirty. I shot a look at the pair and decided that they should leave. I didn't like the idea of Bren out there at night when there was someone clearly out to get her. I know Booth was there to protect her, and I don't doubt him or his abilities, but anything could happen. He could be hurt, or knocked out, or blindsided.

"Why don't you guys go home?" I suggested. Both of them opened their mouths to protest, just like I knew they would. Stubborn, the both of them. I raised my hand to silence them, and surprisingly, they stopped. "You can't help out on the case, so there's no point in the both of you lingering around here, like a couple of zombies."

"Ange, there are so such things as zombies."

"She meant it as a metaphor, Bones."

"Oh."

I chuckled to myself-those two have not changed one bit. That was a good thing, as well. Of course, I knew that would happen if they started dating each other-their banter was all sexual frustration.

I guess that meant they haven't had sex yet.

"Guys," I interrupted. "I'm just saying that it's late. The entire team, minus you, is working on the case. We'll call as soon as something comes up, but in the meantime, go home, soak in a bubble bath, give each other a foot massage and watch Breakfast at Tiffany's. _Relax_," I emphasized. I stood up to leave the two of them to their own thoughts.

I was glad to see them leave ten minutes later. At least two of my favorite people in the world would be getting some peace and quiet tonight.

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

I was a people person, so I knew there was something the others weren't telling us. I cornered Angela, Zach and Matthews individually at various times but not one of them would tell me. Angela just changed the subject and started asking me if Bones and I had started sleeping together. She'd asked so many…Explicit questions that I had to practically run away from her. Damn. The FBI should hire her.

Zach was supposed to be the easy one. But he managed to turn everything upside down, using logic and his damn squint-y head to confuse me enough to make me dizzy.

Matthews had been straightforward. He's simply told me that it was confidential since it was case-related, and that it was nothing to worry about. He'd also told me to relax a little, and that anything substantial would be revealed in due time.

I've never realized it before but I hate the rules and the law. I think it's because now I'm not so privileged to know all the facts and evidence.

Angela had told us to go home just a few minutes earlier. Her Breakfast at Tiffany's reference had gone right past Bones' head, which I'm immensely relieved for. I don't think spending the night watching a chick flick would have relaxed me at all.

But I did agree with her on some levels that Bones and I should head home. Her place, mine, it didn't matter. All I knew was that this bastard was out there, and he wanted to hurt Bones. I didn't care what Cullen said-it was my business, when it involved Bones. So, yeah, we needed some rest if we were going to be at our best.

I knew Bones could defend herself, but she would do a better job of it if she was well rested. The same could be said for me.

So I'd taken her hand and tilted my head at the door, suggesting we leave. I expected a protest, something involving three thousand year old Incan mummies or something. But she had nodded her head and stood up from the couch, grabbed her coat and purse, and waited for me to stand as well.

I realized then that she was tired. I wanted more than anything to pull her into a hug, and kiss her, comfort her with all that I had. But we were still in the Jeffersonian. People could see. And while Angela knew, I didn't know who else did. I for one think that one squint is too many.

So I'd shrugged on my jacket and placed a hand on the small of her back, waving at the squints and Agent Matthews on the platform as I led her out to the parking lot.

The moment we were by the car, I spun her around and enveloped her in a warm hug. I felt her cling to me tightly and I felt doubly horrible. I should have snuck in a hug or two back there. It'd been hours since I'd done this. If it had been hard for me, it must have been harder for her. The killer was after her, after all, not me.

"I've wanted to do that the entire day," I mumbled into her hair.

Bones chuckled wearily and nodded her head. "Me, too," she whispered.

When we finally pulled apart, it was because of necessity rather than want. We needed to get into the SUV and back home. We couldn't stay out in the parking lot forever.

"Your place or mine?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her, smiling slightly.

Bones laughed, then paused to consider my question. "Yours," she said decidedly. I nodded my head, turning on the engine, and stepping on the gas.

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"Do you want anything to eat, Bones? I'm ordering takeout," I called out. She had gone into my-our, I suppose-bedroom to get one of my shirts to sleep in.

"Chinese?" she called back.

"Yeah."

"You know what I like."

I smiled. Yeah, I do know what she liked. It was easier than I thought, being in a relationship with Bones. Of course, this was the earlier days. I shouldn't jump to conclusions. Who knew what was in store for us.

I picked up the phone to call for takeout, when I heard her call out my name.

"Booth! Booth!" she sounded so panicked, so scared, that I dropped the phone and dashed to the bedroom. I had never heard her so terrified in my life.

When I got to the bedroom, I didn't see anything strange or abnormal. Just Bones sitting on the bed, trembling.

That was when I noticed the paper in her hand. _A picture_, I realized with dread.

As much as I needed to see the picture, I needed to make sure Bones was alright. I sat down next to her, forcing myself not to look at the picture. "Temperance?" I called out to her softly. She didn't answer me, her terrified gaze never leaving the picture she was holding. I slipped it out of her grip and tried again. "Temperance? Bones?"

She started and looked at me, her eyes filling up with tears. "It's going to be alright, Bones, okay? Do you trust me?" She nodded her head dazedly. "Then trust me when I say it'll be okay."

I waited for her to speak, running a soothing hair through her hair.

Finally, I heard her whisper one word.

"Parker."

My blood froze. I tore my gaze from her bloodshot eyes, the streaming tears, the ashen face, to look down at the picture in my hand.

The first was of Parker, smiling, happy, holding hands with me on the way to the park the other day. Across the pictures, the killer had scrawled 'I see him when he's sleeping, I know when he's awake. So you better watch out, I'm coming to town'. Twisted. Beyond twisted.

The next picture was of Bones and myself, walking hand in hand, smiling at each other, on our way to my apartment.

The next was a picture of Bones, Parker and myself, walking to Wong Foo's that first time.

"I'm sorry, Booth," Bones whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

Tears were streaming down her face non-stop. I wiped them away gently, trying to shake off the shock. "It's not your fault, Bones. Listen to me, just stay here, don't go anywhere, alright? Pack up a couple of things, take your backpack you left here, while I make a phone call, okay? Can you do that for me?"

She seemed to snap back to her usual self, and she nodded her head, sniffing.

"Good. I…" I bit my lip. I almost told her I loved her. Not the time, Seeley, I chided myself. I kissed her on the forehead instead, and hurried out of the room.

I had to call Rebecca. I don't care what she said-Parker was coming with me for FBI protection. I had to call her and call Cullen to get the FBI forensic team to my apartment.

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Parker was asleep in the backseat of the SUV. I had discarded the child seat, throwing it in the trunk-Parker was cradled against Bones, who hadn't been able to sleep.

After calling Rebecca, and after arguing with her for a good fifteen minutes, I'd gotten her to let me take Parker. It wasn't all that hard considering our son was in danger. She wanted Parker safe, too, and I was the best man to ensure that.

We had another FBI agent with us, for precaution, and we were headed to Hodgins' place until we could find a better place for us to stay in for the while. Both my apartment and hers were out of the question. Hodgins had enough security for the whole of England, so it was the best destination for now.

"You should sleep for a while, Bones," I said, checking on her in the rearview mirror. Agent Ryan, the one assigned to guard us, turned his head slightly to look at Bones and Parker. Ryan and I had served in the army together, worked together for years. I trust him enough for this.

"I can't," came her barely audible whisper.

Ryan shot me a sympathetic look.

I sighed and kept on driving. She was going through a tough time right now. I needed to be strong for her, but right now? I felt like cracking.

I looked in the rearview mirror again to see Parker shifting and Bones tightening her grip on him. She stroked his blond curls gently, and kissed his forehead. I smiled slightly before concentrating on the road.

I had my family with me, safe and sound. That's all that mattered. We'll make it through.

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_Unknown POV_

I watched as people filed into Agent Booth's apartment. I watched them go in and out in a frenzy, looking for clues that weren't there. Silly, really. They should know by now. Marci should have given them that particular clue. They were never going to find me.

I chuckled softly as Agent Booth left with Temperance, duffel bags in his hand. He tossed them into his SUV, another man I've never seen before following. Temperance took the back seat. I followed them as the SUV peeled out of the parking lot.

I knew they were going to pick up sweet, adorable Parker. Then they were going to hide. But they couldn't do that, not from me. Temperance meant too much.

I saw headlights behind me, and looked in the rearview mirror. A black sedan. The car had followed me for several blocks now. No, I realized. It had followed the SUV. It was an FBI car, following Agent Booth and Temperance for security. I burst into a fit of laughter. As if a few agents would really keep me from what's rightfully mine.

When Agent Booth's car turned at the next intersection, I went straight ahead. The black sedan followed his SUV, my suspicions confirmed.

He could try his best, Temperance. But you're still mine. I'm still going to get you, you're still going to see just how much I love you. Just like Marci.

_Creepy enough? BB enough? Or do you need more? Was it total crap or kinda okay?? Be kind and review…I'll be waiting…_


	18. Hide Out

_**A/N: **I kept everyone waiting, didn't I? So sorry…I kept having Twilight ideas, so close to the premiere and all. Of course, I can't actually __go__ to the premiere…But that's a whole different story. Here's chapter 18, read and review. I hope you enjoy._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Bones. But it has inspired me to pursue forensic anthropology._

_**POVs:**__ Angela M., T. Brennan, Parker B., S. Booth_

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_Angela M.'s POV_

I've been pacing the length of Jack's family room for the past forty-five minutes. Ever since Booth called me and asked if he, Brennan and Parker could stay over for the night, and told me everything else that has happened in the past few hours. I'd gotten permission from Cam and Matthews to go home with Jack, at least for a few hours, just to get the three of them settled in.

I was so worried-what could be taking them so long? I'd already made sure Booth and Brennan had an adjoining room to Parker's, in case the little guy needed anything. I'd gone to the kitchen to inform the staff to make some dinner, and hot chocolate for them-Brennan loves those.

What would Parker need? I'd asked Jack to bring out the toys and bed sheets he kept around for little children-Zach's family came to Washington once and it was a hectic time of year. Jack had allowed the Addy clan to stay over. By the end of the week, he had more than a department store's worth of children items.

Everything was set up, and they were still not here.

Finally, the door bell rang. I breathed a sigh of relief when Booth came in, a hand on Brennan's back. She was carrying a sleeping Parker in her arms. Careful not to wake him up, I came over and gave her a hug. Smiling at Booth, I hugged him, too.

"I was so worried!" I whispered to them.

Brennan shook her head and nodded at Parker. "Do you…Can I put him down somewhere?" she asked, looking at Jack and I. It would've been ridiculous to ask if we had room for Parker, considering we lived in a place I hold equivalent to Buckingham Palace.

I nodded my head, and motioned for Brennan to come up with me. Jack stayed in his place, only smiling warily at Booth and Brennan. I led them up the stairs and to the second floor, going to the west wing of the house and directing them into Parker's room. Booth and Brennan both looked shocked by just how incredulously big the place is, but Brennan was more composed-she had stayed over once before.

I watched Brennan put Parker in the bed, after Booth had rolled down the comforter so Parker could sleep comfortably. Brennan tucked Parker in and kissed his forehead. Booth did the same. I smiled. They were already a family, and I couldn't be happier. My best friend was getting everything right for once.

I was just so worried about their current situation. I had vowed to myself a long time ago that when Booth and Brennan got together, I would do everything in my power to make sure their relationship would be free of troubles. This, unfortunately, was something that was out of my hands.

I walked out the door and waited until Booth and Brennan came out as well. Brennan closed the door to Parker's room, so that we could talk without waking him up.

"God, Bren. I was worried sick!" I rushed forward to hug her again. Brennan wrapped her arms around me and returned my hug gratefully. I know she's always a tough cookie, but she really was an amazing person inside. I loved her for it.

"I know," Brennan said, pulling back. "I'm just…" She sighed. "I don't even know what to do right now," she said, smiling sadly at us.

Maybe bringing up psycho killers wasn't the right direction. I pulled at her arm, and linked my other arm with Booth's. "What to do right now is to check out your room," I sang out. I led them two feet and pushed them both into one of Jack's spare room. "It's adjoining to Parker's room," I told them. "We thought you'd want that."

Brennan blushed furiously at being given only one room to share with Booth. I grinned at her. "Oh, come on, Bren. You know you like this arrangement," I teased.

If it was possible, she turned a deeper shade of red. "Angela!" they both hissed.

I laughed, and shook my head. "Look, the staff made some dinner, and hot chocolate. You can stay up here a while, take a few calming breaths and all, but come down soon, okay? We need to talk about this," I gave each of them a look that said I wasn't going to give up on this, and went out the door.

I hoped they weren't going to get down and dirty. I almost stopped in my tracks. Wait, what? I want the opposite, actually. I hoped they _do_ get down and dirty.

******************************************************************************

When I got back downstairs, Jack was on his feet, having a staring competition with a guy I didn't know. He had his arms across his chest and his eyes were narrowed. I knew that look on his face-he was imagining what sort of conspiracy the guy was up to. I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat, interrupting them.

"Jack? Who's this?" I asked.

"He claims he's Agent Ryan, with the FBI," Jack told me, slinging a protective arm around my waist when I reached him.

I smiled at Agent Ryan. "Nice to meet you."

Agent Ryan seemed relieved that he wasn't going to be treated like the enemy, and smiled back at me, taking my hand in his. "Nice to meet you…"

"Angela," I supplied.

Agent Ryan repeated this with a smile, which only caused to rile Jack up even more.

"Be nice, Jack," I glared at him.

His gaze faltered a little and he gave me a half-sheepish grin. I knew he wasn't regretful of the way he'd been treating Ryan. "You _know _I don't trust feds," he told me.

"Aw, you saying you don't even trust me?" Booth teased. I turned around to find Booth and Brennan coming down the stairs. I sighed. Couldn't those two just take some time to be alone and kinky together? Though…Come to think of it, now probably wasn't a very good time.

"No, you have proven your loyalty," Jack said. "He, however, is merely a stranger. A _fed_. He's a part of the conspiracy, you know?" he said, looking at Brennan, Booth and me.

I sighed again, and shook my head. I placed a hand on Jack's arm. "Sweetie, you're acting a little like a maniac right now. Sit and unwind," I ordered.

Jack glared at me, but did as was told. Booth chuckled, then regained his composure. He nodded at Ryan. "Agent Ryan will be staying here tonight, as well. He'll be the back-up," he explained.

Ryan chuckled. "Way to boost my ego, Booth," he grinned. I sat next to Jack and relaxed slightly. Booth and Ryan were friends-that was apparent. That made me feel slightly better.

Then I looked at him. "Do you need…Anything?" I didn't really know what they were supposed to do.

Ryan shook his head. "I'll be staying guard, doing rounds, checking with Matthews and Cullen, that sort of thing," he told us. "Don't worry."

That was not possible. My best friend, her newly appointed lover and his son were being chased by a psycho killer slash stalker. How could I possibly not worry?

Then something clicked, and my blood ran cold. "Do you think he's watching?" I asked, a tremble in my voice.

"Oh, they're all watching," Jack said ominously.

Booth shot him a glare. "Not helping, Hodgins," he snapped. Jack fell silent. "I don't know, Angela. Probably. But we've got the place secured, we just have to figure out how to get him."

I nodded my head, taking in deep calming breaths. This was really not what I expected. My God, it was even worse than when Booth and Brennan did that Mara Muerte case, and Brennan hit the leader of a gang. It was worse than when Brennan and Hodgins were captured by the Gravedigger. That was getting them back. This was waiting to see how much longer we'd have her with us, still alive and breathing.

I turned my weary eyes to Jack and said, "Do you think you could call Cam and see if we could come in the morning instead? I really don't feel up to leaving just yet."

Jack nodded in understanding, squeezing my hand once before standing up to make the call. I chanced a glance at my favorite non-couple turned couple. Brennan was leaning into Booth, his arm around her shoulders, her head on his shoulder. Her hand gripped his in what seemed to be a death grip. But neither moved from each other or complained. They were comforting each other.

I felt my eyes filled up with tears and swallowed, blinking them away.

Jack came back just in time, clapping his hands together. "Cam said Dr. Brennan should stay away from the lab for a while, until we get a better idea of who this guy is," he announced.

Brennan narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to let a sick bastard rule my life, Hodgins," she protested.

Booth pulled back slightly and gripped her chin in his hand. "Bones, this guy is twisted. He wants your head on a stick-"

"-That's not part of his MO-"

"-A reference, Bren-"

"-Right-"

"-_Like I was saying_," Booth interrupted. "He's dangerous. He's not going to stop until he gets you. You and Parker are not leaving my sight. Ryan's going to be making sure that this guy isn't anywhere around. For a day or two, Bones, would you just trust me and go with this?" he pleaded.

Brennan stared at him for the longest of time, and Booth leaned his forehead on hers, his eyes pleading. _Okay, no way could she resist him now_, I thought. Booth was an evil genius.

True to my prediction, Brennan sighed, "Fine."

I suppressed the urge to squeal.

Jack stepped in once more before I could say something to embarrass Brennan and Booth (hey, it wasn't like I did it on purpose…Sometimes). God, I love that man.

"Who's up for roast turkey?"

******************************************************************************

_Parker B's POV_

My eyes fluttered open, and I looked around the darkened room in shock. Where was I? Where was daddy and Dr. Bones? Where was my nightlight?

I remembered daddy coming over to my house, saying that he and Dr. Bones wanted me to come stay with them for a few days. Mommy had let him take me, so I was happy enough. They didn't even argue once.

When I got to the car, Dr. Bones was in the back seat. She looked like she'd been crying, but she never answered when I asked her. She'd just held me and hugged me tightly. This scared me and comforted me at the same time.

There was another man in the car I didn't know. He told me to call him Ryan, and daddy said that he was and old friend of his from work.

I'd fallen asleep in the car, after Dr. Bones told me we were going to Bug and Angela's house. I liked them. I'd met Angela about a year ago, when daddy took me to Bug's house. It was huge! I liked it there, though I didn't see a lot of it. I mostly spent that night with Dr. Bones until daddy had to take me home.

She was very nice. I liked Angela, though I never spent a lot of time with her. That's why I was shy around her. I forgot her name, I think, until Dr. Bones told me she was her best friend and reminded me that she was called Angela.

Bug was interesting, too. I hoped he had more bugs to show me. Daddy said I shouldn't touch the bugs, but Bug let me do that once. He had me wear these white gloves that were too big for me, and let me touch a baby cockroach. Bug said it was called a 'nymph'. It was gross, but fun.

But I was in a dark room now, and I was scared. Where were daddy and Dr. Bones? Was I in trouble?

My eyes adjusted to the dark slightly, and I realized that I was in a big room. I was lying in a bed. I pushed the comforter off of me, and swung my legs around. The bed was really high so I had to wriggle to get down. I saw a door at the end of the room, and it was closed. But there was another door facing the bed I was in just moments ago. It was open, and it led to another room.

I stepped inside curiously, and saw that there was another bed in the room. I inched closer to it carefully, and peeked at the people sleeping in it. Someone snored loudly all of a sudden, and I jumped, startled. Then I grinned. I knew only one person who could snore that loudly-daddy!

True enough, daddy and Dr. Bones were in the bed, sleeping. I didn't want to disturb daddy if he's snoring. He'd told me once that people snore because they were tired. So I crept up to the other side of the big bed and tugged on Dr. Bones arm which was hanging over the bed.

She stirred and blinked down at me. "Parker?" she asked groggily.

I nodded my head. "Where are we, Dr. Bones?" I whispered.

"At Hodgins' and Angela's," she told me. "Why did you wake up? Are you hungry?"

I shook my head. I had eaten dinner before daddy and Dr. Bones showed up. I wasn't hungry-just scared. "I don't wanna sleep alone," I admitted sheepishly.

Dr. Bones sat up a little and grabbed me under the arms, lifting me up. She settled me down in between herself and daddy, pushing his sleeping form away a little to make room for me. "Is this okay, then?" she asked, still whispering. I couldn't be sure but I think she smiled.

I nodded my head and rested my head on her pillow. "Yeah, thank you," I mumbled, sleep already taking over me. I wrapped my arm around her waist and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

******************************************************************************

"Do you want to wake him?" Dr. Bones whispered to me, grinning. I grinned back at her. Daddy was still asleep, though it was already eight thirty in the morning. I'd woken up a few minutes ago, to find Dr. Bones already up. She'd helped me find the bathroom, and when we got back, daddy was still sleeping.

I nodded my head, and we both crept up to the bed silently, our backs hunched, our fingers bent to form claws. We were rocking in silent laughter.

Just as we were about to pounce, daddy's voice came out strong and clear, "Don't even think about it."

I screamed, startled, then started giggling at being caught. Daddy sat up in bed and smiled at the both of us. "Trying to scare your old man, huh?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

I hid behind Dr. Bones, still laughing. She'd protect me, I thought smugly. Dr. Bones spun around to pick me up and crawled back onto the bed. I snuggled closer to her and rested my head on her shoulder. "Come on, Booth, time to get up," she teased, prodding his side gently.

Daddy just growled, and flopped back. I laughed, and shot Dr. Bones a look. She nodded and I crawled off of her to climb on daddy. He started laughing, and I couldn't resist-I started to tickle him. Dr. Bones joined me, and soon daddy couldn't stop laughing.

"See, Booth?" Dr. Bones teased, finally stopping. "That's what you get for tickling us all the time."

Daddy sat up slightly, resting his weight on his elbows, and looked at us. He was trying to catch his breath so when he glared at us, I could still laugh. "Alright, alright, I'm up," he grumbled.

Dr. Bones chuckled. "Good. Go wash up and meet us downstairs in the dining room, okay?"

Daddy stopped her. "Okay, you _really _expect me to find my way in this maze on my own?" he asked her incredulously.

******************************************************************************

_T. Brennan's POV_

We waited for Booth to wash up before going downstairs. The only reason I knew the dining room Hodgins used daily was because I stayed over once, and I have excellent memory. Hodgins said that there were four different dining areas-and these didn't include the banquet halls for when the Cantilever group had parties for their elite friends.

When we reached the dining room, Hodgins and Angela were already there, sitting at the twelve-seats table. They were already dressed for work. My stomach dropped. What in the world would I do for an entire day? I wasn't allowed to go to work, and Booth would make sure of that. I didn't want to get into an argument with him in front of Parker.

Angela looked up at us, smiling. "Hey, guys, we were just wondering if we should go up and wake you," she said, a twinkle in her eyes. "Eventful night?"

I rolled my eyes. How much did she expect us to do with an adjoining door to Parker's room which we kept open the whole night? "Yes," I answered truthfully. Angela straightened up a little, excited. I quickly spoke before she could ask, "Parker woke up in the middle of the night and slept in our bed."

"Oh," came her disappointed response. This wasn't lost on Booth and Hodgins, who both burst into chuckles.

Angela scoffed at them, then stood up. "Come on, Hodgie," she said sweetly, turning to her fiance. "We're going to be late if we wait any longer," she said.

Hodgins stood up as well, and smiled at us. "Feel free to anything in the house. We'll call as soon as we have something," he told us. I nodded at him, smiling my gratitude. Parker was already tugging at my hand. I'm guessing he was waiting to see if he could really have anything on the table-from pancakes and waffles to intricate looking omelets.

Leaning forward, Hodgins whispered, "Keep and eye out for the fed."

Booth and I exchanged a look and rolled our eyes simultaneously as Hodgins left with Angela. "Dr. Bones," Parker called out, unable to reign in his excitement any longer. I laughed when I saw an identical look on Booth's face.

"What do you want for breakfast, Parker?" I asked.

"I want waffles, and pancakes, and Cheerios and muffins and-"

"Whoa, take it one at a time, Parks," I laughed, as Booth loaded a stack of waffles on his plate and begun pouring syrup on it greedily.

Like father, like son.

******************************************************************************

Once we were done eating, Booth called for Ryan to meet us in the living room. He wasn't the only FBI agent in charge of guarding us. It wasn't just about protecting, I realized, it was about catching the serial killer, as well. They were hoping the killer would make a mistake and they'd catch him trying to kidnap me.

Logical, considering forensic science wasn't doing anything to help us solve the case.

I'd wanted Parker out of the conversation, but I knew if I left Booth would edit what Ryan said. So I'd gotten him a big bucket full of toys Hodgins had left for Parker in his room, and we'd all settled in the living room. Parker was on the floor, digging through his new toys, when Ryan came in. We sat on the couch, huddling together to speak quietly so Parker wouldn't hear. He still didn't know about the killer, and I didn't want him to. It would just scare him.

"There were no signs of anyone suspicious around the house," Ryan said quietly. "No cars or anything like that around your house, Dr. Brennan, or yours, Booth. He's not making a damn move right now." Ryan sighed, and dragged a hand through his hair. "I think he might've seen the FBI forensic team flooding the apartment last night, and he's waiting for it to quiet down. He knows who you are, Dr. Brennan. You're with the FBI. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you would be well protected."

I chewed on my bottom lip. "So what does all this mean?" I asked.

Ryan shrugged. "We'll keep surveillance for a few more days, then I'd have to say you have to go back to your daily routine," he concluded.

A bright smile lit up my face. I may not like having to sit around like this for a few days, but at least it won't be for long.

But Booth was shaking his head. "It's too dangerous-I don't like it."

Ryan clapped a hand on Booth's back. "Booth, relax. There will be an FBI car following you all the time. I'd suggest the two of you don't separate-swim with a buddy, you know?"

Booth was nodding his head, but I looked at them, confused. "We have to go swimming?" I asked, puzzled.

Booth started to chuckle, shaking his head. "You have the ability to make me laugh at the oddest of times, Temperance," he smiled at me.

I reached out and took his hand in mine, smiling back. I take it to mean that Ryan had made a pop culture reference that was lost on me.

Ryan cleared his throat and we turned out attention back to him. I blushed, then frowned as Parker came running to us, holding a piece of metal in his hand. "Daddy, look, can I play video games?" he asked eagerly.

Booth raised an eyebrow. "Please?" Parker pouted, looking at me with his doe eyes for support.

"Yeah, please, Booth?" I turned to Booth, unleashing my powers of persuasion on him, too.

Booth shook his head again and sighed. "Alright," he pretended to grumble. "You can play video games."

Parker squealed his thanks, and kissed us each once on the cheek. He ran back to the front of the room to figure out how to hook up the game to the flat screen.

I watched him for a while, then asked, "What about Parker? I don't feel comfortable with him being out there on his own while a serial killer might be watching him…" Just the thought alone made me angry and nauseated.

Booth nodded his head, agreeing. "I'll have to check with Rebecca, but no matter what she says, Parker's staying with us. He needs the protection right now," Booth said solemnly.

I sighed in relief for a moment, then started when Ryan's phone started ringing. He stood up and moved away from us to answer. After a few moments, he came back to us and sat down. His face had crumpled, and I could tell he was composing himself.

Booth knew his friend was in pain, so he asked, "Ryan. What is it?"

Ryan shuddered, then answered. "Another vic. They just found her."

******************************************************************************

_S. Booth's POV_

Ryan hadn't been able to go to the lab to see who the new victim was. He had to stay to guard Bones and Parker, protect them. I knew it hit him hard, too. He was in the army with me, he was a Ranger just like I was. He was a lot like me when it came to victims.

Angela had called Bones after Ryan had gone out to make his usual rounds. They had chatted, and Angela had said that Hodgins wanted us to stay at his house-it seemed reasonable enough. There was security, cameras, and FBI around to protect us. It was a good a hide out as any.

She had also told Bones not to worry so much, and that they would call as soon as they learnt anything new.

After she'd hung up, Bones and I had just sat next to each other, leaning towards each other, watching Parker fumble with the video games. It was comforting, to just sit in silence and know that the two reasons of my existence were safe with me.

I finally got up to help Parker hook the video game to the flat screen, commenting on how I'd like to watch a game on the flat screen. Bones rolled her eyes at me.

I loved her, this woman who was strong, and caring, and intelligent and beautiful inside and out.

I loved her for staying strong.

I loved her for not running from me.

I loved her for loving Parker and caring for him.

I loved her for everything.

I hoped to God that we would catch the killer soon because it would kill me if anything were to happen to Parker or Bones. I would never want that. I would never survive.

"Booth?" came Bones' voice after I'd rejoined her on the couch. I turned to her. "What am I supposed to do for an entire day?" she asked anxiously.

I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leaning back against the couch, taking her with me. "Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something," I grinned at her cheekily.

She looked at me then, with such lust and passion and love so strong, I wanted her right there and then. I had to remind myself of Parker, physically look at him to clear my head.

Love.

We've never admitted that to each other. It was too soon. It would scare her off. I understood that, to some level. She had been abandoned a lot, and her life had been a pretty big mess as a kid. Love and commitment weren't things she dreamt of exactly.

But I knew I was in love with her. And I knew she loved me, too. It was there in the way she looked at me, touched me, kissed me. The fact that she hadn't run from me spoke volumes.

I found another reason why I wanted this case to be solved-I wanted to take Bones out on our first date.

Funny how we moved backwards-kisses and sleepovers before the first date. I chuckled to myself, leaning closer to kiss her as gently as possible. Nothing about us seemed traditional, it appears.

_Here it is, latest chapter. Thank you so much for all of your reviews. It means a lot to me that you guys are reading and getting into the story. I hoped this chapter didn't disappoint._


	19. Chapter 19

Hey, guys, it's me...Obviously. I just wanted to apologize for being MIA for so long. I have to admit I'm not the best under pressure. I started this to escape from the real world and it helped for the longest time - I received compliments instead of negativity and I started feeling invincible, like I could do anything. And I could, in a matter of speaking. Or is it, writing?

Anyway, I know it's not an excuse, after disappearing for...What, two years now? I've probably made a lot of you turn away from this, but I hope that _some_ are still loyal to BH and are continuing to read this way overdue posts. Life just got in the way. I think I'm suffering through a very delicate 'Dorothy Parker in the 20s & 30s' sort of a situation.

I sincerely hope that I've made up to at least some of you by posting the rest of BELLA HALE, every last chapter, at the same time, as well as seven new chapters for ADVENTURES OF SILLY BELLA.

At this point, I'm not so sure I will complete my other uncompleted stories. Not in the immediate future, anyway. I'm so sorry, but they're on hiatus for me - I'm just not feeling it. One of these days, I'm going to have to reread TWILIGHT SAGA all over again, and maybe I'll get the inspiration. I'm really sorry about that.

Back to BELLA HALE. I don't know if I'm entirely satisfied with how the James situation started out - it feels too rushed to me. I think I did my best to smooth it over for the rest of BH. The sequel is pending though at this point, I'm not even sure if I'll write it. I have a good plot, for the change and what'll happen with the Volturi, and even her first year, but then things take a more dramatic turn and I'm not sure if that's suitable for a BH flow (despite the few twists and turns, BH seems cheery to me and this new plot line is a little...Out there).

I'll continue writing a few more chapters for ADVENTURES OF SILLY BELLA, I think. Mostly, it's because I miss child-Bella. In the originals, we never get to see the childlike side of her or even the teenage side of her, really. She was so grown up. In Breaking Dawn, it's like everyone skipped their teenage phase and moved on to becoming people in their 20s or 30s. Maybe even middle aged. Then in BH, we do get to see it but we missed out on some of the 'cute moments' in a child's life. Some are purely for entertainment purposes, some have a deeper meaning. Whatever it is, it helps to see the innocence of a child's life.

Now, I know I'm probably disappointing a lot of you by not completing my other stories, but I do have quite a few others that I will be posting along with BH and ASB. They are on my profile, so just check them out if you want to:

- **The Distance Between Us**: a Twilight fan fiction. COMPLETED. Summary: It has been exactly a year since Edward left. Bella's been driving aimlessly for almost as long. Now, temporarily in NY, she runs across Alice and Emmett, half-mad. Alice figures out something is wrong when she could see the 'Edward hallucination' Bella keeps having, and none of the humans can. EXB.

- **The Strange Case of Edward Cullen**: a Twilight fan fiction. ONE-SHOT. COMPLETED. Summary: The many reasons why Edward Cullen is strange. AU love story. EXB.

- **The Monstrosity in Humanity**: a Twilight fan fiction. TWO-SHOT. COMPLETED. Summary: We all know that Renee had to have dated throughout Bella's childhood. What if her boyfriends weren't good men? What if this led to Bella having a very drastically different sort of past that no one knew about? This is Bella, engaged to Edward, telling him why she knew he wasn't a monster. EXB.

- **Sweet Reprieve**: a Twilight fan fiction. ONE-SHOT. COMPLETED. Summary: an outtake from a story I have outlined and even written for a few chapters. The story, entitled 'The Blue Hour' is basically Twilight with Alice and Jasper as the human-vampire couple, with the others already as Cullens. Bella is Rosalie's and Emmett's daughter since Rose was human when vampire Emmett met her and they had the whole hybrid baby Bella thing, and even though her story's changed, she's not the forerunner in this story. Alice and Jasper are, with strong undertones of Alice/Bella friendship/sisterhood. 'Sweet Reprieve' is Rosalie contemplating her new life as a vampire, mourning what she had lost, but being so happy over what she had found: a husband and children. It's sweet and fluffy.

- **When Jasper Met Bella**: a Twilight fan fiction. ONE-SHOT. COMPLETED. Summary: Another outtake from The Blue Hour. I haven't decided to post TBH yet, and if people like Sweet Reprieve and When Jasper Met Bella, then I will. This one is about how baby Bella helps her family (sans Alice) find Jasper and bring him into their family.

For BONES fans, since I don't think I will be continuing with my first BONES fan fiction, at least for now, I have other, better, ones:

- **The Evolution of Us**: a Bones fan fiction. ONE-SHOT. COMPLETED. Summary: A dream leads Brennan to evaluate her recent feelings towards Booth, as well as their odd co-dependent relationship. An epiphany comes to her - one that results in a funny, loving, Booth & Brennan sort of situation. Booth/Brennan, of course.

- **Heartbreak City**: a Bones fan fiction. Summary: Booth and Brennan are back in DC after a year apart, two completely different people. He has a blonde on his arm, seemingly out of love with her, and she has heartbreak in her eyes, having come to terms with her love for him. The two of them bend and pull and push, but in the end, they are always meant to be. The story of how they finally get together, but not without its share of heartbreak. Eventual BB.

- **The Clandestine Affair**: a Bones fan fiction. First 8 episode-chapters posted. Summary: Booth and Brennan have always been together, right from the Pilot episode. But Brennan has a secret - her life isn't as empty as Booth thinks it is. They not only find their way to being in love throughout every episode, they also find their way to being a family. P.S. If you're not into Brennan having kids pre-series, don't read. I just thought that if she had kids, someone to love and be loved for in return unconditionally, she'd understand love better and be more open to being with Booth. BB aren't going to be having their own kids until the epilogue, and I will be doing this story up to the 100th episode, so…I mean, if Brennan actually got pregnant, it would screw with the plot even more so we'll just stick to Booth having Parker and Brennan with her kids. Give it a shot, though, you might like it.

- **The Beginning of Forever**: a Bones fan fiction. First 17 chapters posted. Summary: Booth and Brennan met in high school, she a 15 year old junior in foster care and he a 17 year old junior with an abusive past, living with his brother and grandfather in Chicago. They met, they fell in love, they have conflicts, they stick it out together. This is a massive, epic, really long love/family story, with every chapter outlined thoroughly. This is my BONES baby, with a BB that's a lot like Bren and Booth even if they are still forensic anthropologist/FBI agent down the line. I'm really counting on your thoughts on this particular fan fiction, so if you like BONES, and aren't a fan of angst, please check this out and leave a line or two. Thank you.

To wrap things up here, I hope it's not too much to ask some of you to leave a review, however tiny, about the rest of BH, as well as the new chapters for ASB and my new stories. I hope to get you new chapters of my new, uncompleted stories soon. I promise I won't disappear on you for two years again.

Thank you, yet again, for everything. Your endless patience, your kind words, even your harsh ones, and your support. I couldn't have done all of this without any of you. You are my rock, giving me more than enough strength to pull through. You'll never know how thankful I am for everything you've done for me.

BH is over, even if the story isn't completely told (crosses fingers for sequel) but it's over just the same. 50 chapters...Wow. That's amazing. I can't believe I actually finished it. Thank you yet again for following me through this journey.

Now, I'm not sure how long it would take me to upload everything - FF is being weird on my computer - but I promise to try my hardest to have it all up by Sunday night. I wanted to upload everything before the new Bones season premiere tonight for those of you in the States, but that doesn't look like it's happening. It's all just right there so it depends on the speed of my computer, I guess…Sorry.

So, parting words for now, please leave a line and tell me how you feel. Even if it's a smack to the face and a blow to the pride, I'll take it.

Your sincerely,

Juliet.


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